Zootopia: A Raccoon's Romance
by Old Goat
Summary: Jake Runnel thinks he's a stud, after all he's romped his way through many a willing young lady's bed. But now he's trying to win his true love's heart despite his own inexperience, insecurities and self-doubts. Can Nick save the raccoon from himself? Nick Wilde's best friend returns in a story of love and redemption. (Based on Zootopia:A Racoon's Redemption.)
1. A Prelude to a Romance

**Chapter 1: A Prelude to a Romance**

 **Jake Runnel thinks he's a stud, after all he's romped his way through many a willing young lady's bed. But now he's trying to win his true love's heart despite his own inexperience, insecurities and self-doubts. Can Nick save the raccoon from himself? Nick Wilde's best friend returns in a story of love and redemption. (Based of Zootopia: A Raccoon's Redemption)  
**

 _I do not own the rights to Zooptopia or any of its characters. This story was written solely for the reader's enjoyment and without any profitable purposes. The story, all names, characters, and incidents portrayed in this story are fictitious. (Does this legal disclaimer make you happy Mr. Moleinger?)_

 **Every story has a beginning and ours starts with a recap of events from** _ **Zootopia: A Raccoon's Redemption Chapter 7: A Favor For Fru Fru and the end of Chapter 9: Outbreak!**_

* * *

The illness spread fear throughout the great city's feline community and a city wide emergency quarantine was declared on all cats in order to contain the outbreak before it spiraled out of control. Stores were shuttered close, public transportation was suspended, and families huddled in their homes fearing the worst. But before the new strain of feline distemper could claim its hideous grip upon the venerable population, a raccoon came to the rescue.

Jake Runnel had become involved by just doing a favor for his friend Fru Fru. He promised to try to find the little shrew's former nanny's fourteen year old grandkitten. As the raccoon and his team of retired criminals investigated the kitten's kitnapping from a park in the Rainforest District, they soon found it was part of a larger plot. The parts of the puzzle finally came to together with the assistance of both a brilliant retired police detective and a brutal crime lord.

It was Jake who contacted the police concerning Dr. Joseph Riverwell and his crazy scheme to unleash a new deadly mammal made strain of feline distemper into the city. The raccoon was also able to provide them with the location of the mad doctor's lab in the swamps. Because of his efforts, the outbreak was contained before it got too far out of control and the authorities were able to recover Riverwell's formula in time for the doctors to create a cure that saved most of the cats who were infected, including Officer Richard Fangmeyer. Despite his objections, the raccoon had become a hero.

The smiling grey furred rabbit was still in her uniform, having just gotten off duty for the evening and was sitting on the other side of the booth from the raccoon. Next to her sat her husband and Jake's best friend Nick Wilde who also was still in his uniform. The two were looking at the gold plated object sitting on the restaurant table. "I can't believe the mayor gave you a medal, Jake!" Judy said.

"She gave medals to the doctors and a few other mammals," the raccoon replied as he nonchalantly shrugged his shoulders. "They deserved theirs more than I do."

It was a long afternoon ceremony, followed by a press conference with the mayor and the commissioner, and then finally an interview with Jack Zipper of ZNN. Afterwards, Jake invited Judy and Nick for dinner at a popular Cajun restaurant and bar near his hotel, called the South Quarter. The place was overflowing with the after work twenty-something businessmammal crowd. Jake liked this place, because the patrons were more open to his friend's mixed species relationship. Judy had a roasted beet and wilted greens salad with candied pecans, while both Jake and Nick both ordered the boiled crawfish platters. After finishing half his plate, Jake shoved the remainder over to Nick who quickly dug into the pile. While he ate, his tail happily swished back and forth, almost knocking Judy off the bench. The rabbit giggled and punched her husband lightly, as he teased her that his tail had a mind of its own. Jake leaned back and smiled at his friend's banter. _They never get tired of each other, do they?_ He mused to himself.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw another familiar tail. He leaned over to get a better view of the bar and saw her in the crowd. His mind flashed back to that morning several days ago when he had met her in the park. He had just spent a fretful night dreaming of an old love and had woken early in the predawn darkness. Knowing he couldn't return to sleep, he went jogging in the park across from the hotel where he was now living since he saved Mr. Big's life. His attempts however failed and he stopped to meditate, but instead he had fallen asleep under a tree.

" _Are you okay Sugar?" a feminine voice startled him awake. As his eyes blinked open and began to adjust to the morning sunlight, he found himself looking into a pair of soft brown eyes, which were surrounded by black and grey fur. Below a twitching cute nose, there was a gorgeous smile._

 _Jake's mind raced for something witty to say, but the only words that came out of his mouth were, "Wow!…ahh..ahh..Hi?"_

 _The other raccoon stepped away from him and she giggled, "Well you don't look homeless or smell like you've been drinking all night, so why don't ya'll get your tail off the ground. You know you're making us coons look less reputable then some mammals already think we are!" Jake could feel his ears blush as she caught his eyes looking her over. She was dressed in a pink pair of shorts and a loose white Zootopia City University sweatshirt, which did little to hide her tight curvy body. She could only be described as sexy and her voice had a soft southern accent. She grinned and asked again, "Are you sure you're okay Sugar?"_

" _Yeah, I stopped to meditate some and then I guess I nodded off instead," Jake tried to explain as he stood. His right paw started rubbing his neck and he tried to give her one of his best smiles. He glanced down at the wristwatch on his left paw and his eyes widened. "Oh crap, that was over two hours ago! I'm going to be late for an important meeting," he exclaimed._

" _I've ….I've got to go, sorry!" he stuttered as he started to turn to run back towards the hotel. But, his eyes caught hers again and he found he just couldn't move. Incoherent words started spilling out, "Who are you? Can…can… we meet again….I would really like to see you again….please?"_

 _She giggled and began slowly jogging down the trail in the other direction. "Maybe we will see each other again, Sugar. I would like that too!" she said as she glanced back at him over her shoulder._

 _Quit acting like a kit who's just discovered girls and run after her you idiot! Jake thought as he watched her leaving. His muzzle dropped slightly open as he stared at her tail, which was coyly twitching behind her as she ran. As he turned to run after her, his phone rang. "What!" Jake answered it in a rather annoyed voice._

" _Hey Jake, where are you?" Jimmy Ratzolli said. "You were supposed to meet me at your place this morning and no one's here?"_

" _Sorry, I got sidetracked and I'll be right there," Jake sighed. "Get yourself some breakfast while you wait and charge it to my room." He hung up the phone and angrily jammed it back in his pocket. Taking one last longing look at the other raccoon as she disappearing down the trail, he sighed once again. Then he turned and ran back towards the hotel._

His ears perked up as he heard someone, somewhere calling his name. Jake sat up straight and looked at the rabbit and said, "Sorry Judy, what did you say?"

Judy laughed, "That was Nick who was talking to you silly."

"Oh!" he said and leaned out into the aisle again. Suddenly the raccoon stood up and started to straighten his tie. He reached into his pocket and threw a couple hundred dollar bills on the table and said, "Sorry guys, but I think I left something at the bar."

Judy laughed some more as Jake stumbled into a chair on his way towards the bar. Standing on the bench she peeked over the top and Nick's head quickly appeared next to hers. They watched their friend walk up to a beautiful young female raccoon. "I think he left his heart at the bar Carrots," snickered Nick.

Marie watched the raccoon approaching her and smiled. She heard one of her friends whisper "Isn't that Jake Runnel? You know the guy on TV who got the medal today? He's cute and was really witty in his interview. He has his own company too."

As Jake got closer, she smiled at him and said, "Well Sugar, it looks like you finally caught me."

"I'm sorry it took so long," Jake stammered. "I was kind of busy."

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **When I wrote** _ **Zootopia: A Raccoon's Redemption**_ **it was going to be a single story, but I found the character of Jake Runnel was intriguing in that he could serve as an introduction to other characters and events within my version of where Zootopia went after the movie.**

 **The following are the stories in the Jake Runnel series:**

 _ **Zootopia: A Raccoon's Redemption**_ \- The raccoon should not have punched the fox, but if he hadn't they would have never become friends. A story about a reformed crooked coon, a sly fox, and a cute bunny who are living in a big city. (Completed – Rated M)

 _ **Sins Of Our Fathers**_ \- Sometimes the children must set right the wrongs of their fathers and bring justice to those who were hurt. The ZPD's first hyena cop struggles to balance his species' social beliefs with those of the force. Nick Wilde is assigned to a team hunting a desperate war criminal, as his best friend Jake searches for smuggled blood diamonds. (Completed– Rated M )

 _ **Zootopia: A Raccoon's Revenge**_ – Jake Runnel isn't your typical raccoon, he's a former thief with friends on both sides of the law. When someone begins ritually killing his fellow raccoons, he's going to make sure there's hell to pay. Nick Wilde's best friend returns in an entertaining adventure mystery. (Completed– Rated M)

 _ **Zootopia: A Raccoon's Romance**_ -Jake Runnel thinks he's a stud since he's romped his way through many a willing young lady's bed. But now he's trying to win his true love's heart despite his own inexperience, insecurities and self-doubts? Can Nick save the raccoon from himself? Nick Wilde's best friend returns in a story of love and redemption. (Pending - Rated M)

 _ **Zootopia: A Raccoon's Rescue -**_ A cynical teenage fox named Nick learns the joy of helping out someone in need on Halloween Night when he rescues a little raccoon kit in trouble. The night Jake Runnel first met Nick Wilde. This is a prequel to _Zootopia: A Raccoon's Redemption._ (Completed- Rated T)

 _ **Zootopia Short Stories: A Raven's Kittens**_ **-** Nick and his best friend Jake Runnel take Jake's two boys, little Nicky and Freddie to see Santa Paws and then visit an old friend of Jake's afterwards. The highland wildcat tries to tell the boys an old tale for the holidays, but have you ever tried telling a story to two inquisitive seven year old raccoons and a rambunctious fox? (OC from Zootopia: Raccoon's Redemption). (Completed - Rated T)


	2. About Last Night

**Chapter 2: About Last Night**

* * *

 **Jake talks about surviving mating season with his best friend Nick and also the raccoon's disastrous evening at the bar last night.**

* * *

Several years ago in a cheap rundown motel room off of River Street, two mammals grunted in the dark. Outside lightning flashed through the miserable night's darkness and thunder punctured the pattering sound of the rain as it swept over the city. It also drowned out the squeaking of the room's worn out bed and the grunts of the mammals in that bed.

The smaller brownish grey and black tabby wildcat softly purred as she turned around to be engulfed in the lean raccoon's arms, "Someone was a wee bit desperate tonight?" Her voice had the bough of a highlander from the mountains of the old country.

"Mating season again, I've been…you know… desperate all day," the raccoon sighed. He was in his mid-twenties and somewhat tall for his kind, reaching just over three feet from hindpaw to forehead. His light grey and darker, almost black, grey fur had been carefully groomed. He panted from his endeavors as he looked down at her with gentle brown eyes that peered from within that telltale "bandit's mask" of his species. Jake Runnel was a burglar of exceptional skills, who applied those talents with only marginal success. He was a thief with the heart of a lover and only pursued his chosen career more for the challenge then the money.

"I'd say you were ready for some action tonight," she giggled. "You know boyo that they have pills you can take to cut the edge off of things?"

"Why, I've got you?" he said with a sigh. "At least for forty more minutes.

"Ach, this bloody thunderstorm has made business shitty because no one's cruising for tail in this rain. I'm done for the night, already told the boss." she said as she snuggled back into his arms again, rubbing her cheeks into his chest's fur. "So, are you going to tell me what set you off like this?"

"I was at an uptown bar and there was a raccoon working there, I caught her scent and she was in heat," the male raccoon replied as he gently ran his claws down her back to her tail, which flicked in delight.

"You should have asked her out?" the cat replied as she looked up at him with mischievous green eyes.

"I don't think her husband would have approved," he laughed as he gently pushed her off of him and onto her back. "Are you ready for round two?"

"Make it slow this time laddie, we've got all night," she purred and then kissed him. "Besides you need to satisfy me this time."

He grinned as he asked, "Since you're off the clock, does that mean I don't have to pay tonight?"

"I love you boyo," the prostitute giggled. "But not enough to give it away for free." She felt him pressing against her thigh and she smiled.

* * *

"So that's how I survived mating season before I went to prison," Jake Runnel said as he pulled on the sleeve of his blue sweater before picking up his coffee cup. He looked around at all the other mammals in the coffee shop as he inhaled the scent of the brewing elixir, which was pleasant to him. Of course, he didn't go into all the details of that night.

"It would have been cheaper just buying the pills," the red fox in the tacky green polo shirt laughed as he looked up from his ever present phone.

"But definitely less satisfying!" the raccoon replied with a devious grin on his muzzle. "Besides after the first week, things do get better. There were always tissues and my paw, how do you think I got through the season in jail? The risqué photos Meredith mailed to me were…ah, very helpful."

"You used to spend every night paying to hump a hooker?" Nick Wilde asked his best friend. "That must have cost you a small fortune!"

"It wasn't every night and it wasn't just Meredith, one night she was booked and so I had a quickie with Trudy," he replied. She's the grey fox with the tattoo on her…"

"TMI coon, spare me the details!" the fox snickered. "Did you do the red fox, she's real sexy."

"Yeah, Candy and I have done it before. She can be a pawful, very physical…hey you're into bunnies and not vixens."

"I am, but…l just…" the fox stuttered, before he continued. "Enough about me! You were with Melinda Velt this season."

"Yeah, Melinda was rather physical too. We hit mating season at about the same time. Did I tell you we once made out in the back of a pickup truck sitting in the parking lot at a honky-tonk? Everyone knew what we were doing, damn canid noses or it might have been the fact I made her howl. I never knew cape jackals could howl so loud"

"Yeah, that would be a giveaway right there! You really need to start dating,"

"I date!" Jake protested.

"Picking up belly dancing sand cats in Sahara Square for private exotic dances is not dating. Paying for prostitutes is not dating."

"Melinda and I dated!"

"She swished her tail and you just followed. When was the last time you asked a girl out?"

"I get your point," Jake grumbled as he sat back and looked at the fox. He was agitated and Nick knew it from the way the raccoon's tail twitched and his ears were flat.

"You ever think of dating another raccoon?" the fox asked. "There's got to be a good looking sweet girl out there who for some unknown reason would like to go out with you."

Jake held his tongue and didn't comment that his best friend was a fox married to a rabbit. "It's just that I don't hang out with the same crowds most nice girls do."

"You mean mafia Dons, thieves, hookers, and smugglers?" Nick chuckled as he picked up his coffee cup.

"Yeah and cops," Jake sighed. "All those real lowlifes of society."

"You could always hang out at bars," the fox almost absentmindedly replied as he returned to texting on his phone.

"You do know Melinda is pregnant and they're my puppies," the raccoon replied as he leaned forward and stared at the distracted fox.

"That's nice," Nick said as he was clicking way with his claw. Jake just grinned, giving time for the fox to realize what he had just been told.

"Wait!" the fox's head snapped up as he looked at his friend in shock. "You can't be the father, you're a coon and she's a jackal."

"Aw, you get an A+ in sex ed after all!" Jake laughed as he held is paws to his chest in a dramatic fashion. "I'm pouring out my heart and soul to you and what are you doing? Oh yes, texting someone else!"

"I was texting Finn that you're being a whinny prick," the fox laughed as he gave the raccoon one of his trademark infamous smirks.

"Seriously bro, I need you to listen to me!" the raccoon sighed. "I met a girl."

"You mean that tasty looking ringtail at the bar last night?" Nick said as he straightened up in his seat and gave his friend his full attention. "Yeah, Carrots and I saw you last night. You about broke your fool neck on that chair trying to get to her, so what gives?"

"I don't know, it's just that when she looked at me I started sweating and then I did something dumb."

"Dumb like what?"

"Last night she was at the restaurant's bar and I was so nervous that I was almost incoherent."

"I've never know you to be at loss for words," Nick chuckled as he sipped his coffee.

"I think she actually thought it was flattering that she made me so nervous," the raccoon replied. "Then her roommate asked me for the time."

"Don't tell me," the fox sighed as he put a paw over his face. "You were holding your drink in your left paw and dumped it on yourself when you looked."

There was a thud as the raccoon's head hit the table as he groaned. "I was embarrassed, so I left."

"Yep, my friend the idiot, you did at least get her name?"

"All I got was her first name, its Marie," the raccoon groaned. His head was still on the table as he looked with forlorn eyes up at the fox. "I'm screwed aren't I?"

"Not necessarily," the fox replied with a smile. "You just need to jog a lot more in the mornings."

The raccoon sat up with a feeling of renewed hope. "Yeah, that's it, she jogs in the park!"

"You're getting a bit flabby anyways, so good run will help with that."

"Hey, I work out every day at the gym! I have a great body, unlike you fox."

Although both friends were somewhat muscularly lean for their species and in excellent shape, they loved to tease each other about just about everything.

"Carrots thinks my body is very sexy," the fox scoffed.

"That proves that love is blind," the raccoon laughed.

Sitting back in his chair the raccoon picked up his drink and after sipping the now cold coffee, he looked over at his best friend. "Seriously, Nick there's something about this lady that I can't get out of my mind and it's not just her looks."

"Now don't go hanging your heart out on a hook again, you're still pining over that red panda. You haven't even asked her out, what if she says no?"

"Yeah, that's what scares me! Do you believe in love at first sight?"

"Lust yes, love no!" Nick chuckled.


	3. It's Your Fault Skunk!

**Chapter 3: It's the Skunk's Fault**

* * *

 **Marie talks with her roommate about the raccoon's disastrous evening at the bar last night and her last relationship.**

* * *

"Girl, what is it about you that attracts losers?" her roommate Kathy called to her from their apartment's bathroom the next morning. "I mean, that coon was dashing, articulate, and charming on television. What happened?"

The female raccoon named Marie Millbrooks looked over at the skunk and sighed. "That was a mean trick ya'll played asking him for the time, knowing that he was so nervous. I felt sorry when he spilled his drink on his pants." With a sigh, she reached up with her paw and scratched her neck. She was very pretty with a slim, but sexy curvy body which was currently covered by a pair of blue and white flannel pajamas with cute little owls printed on them. Her "bandit's mask" was not quite as dark as the male's who she had met the night before.

"He didn't come back did he? What a twit!" the skunk called out. "He probably was babbling about himself and getting that damn medal from the mayor."

"I kept asking about his role stopping the feline distemper, but all he wanted to do is ask questions about me," the raccoon said as she shoved her half eaten bowl of Lucky Chomps aside with disgust and stared at her cup of cold coffee.

"Wait!" Kathy suddenly said as she came out of the bathroom hastily wrapped in a towel. Her black and white fur was still damp from the shower. "Are you saying he wasn't so full of himself? I heard him boasting about something to you, so I figured he was just another jerk trying to get up your skirt."

"He was talking about how one of his employees is working with the guy who wrote the script for your favorite television show Galaxy Star Rangers. As for the medal, he accidentally left it with me at the bar. He kept claiming he really didn't do much and didn't deserve the attention."

"Are you telling me that I ran off the city's most famous raccoon and he was a nice guy? I'm so sorry girl!"

"Well, I still have the medal and I reckon I need to return it to him? I hope someone is working at his company's office this weekend, I guess I can drop it off there."

"You didn't go jogging this morning?" the skunk inquired as she returned to the bathroom. "What's up, you not feeling good?"

"Just didn't feel motivated I guess," Marie replied with a heavy sigh. "He sure was cute and those eyes!"

"Girl, you weren't looking at his eyes last night," the Kathy laughed. "How long has it been since you've been laid?"

"Three years ago, on the beach. It was with that black furred wolf, Michael." Michael wasn't his real name, but she just couldn't remember his name. He was a Saharan wolf who oddly was almost pure black, unusual for his species and was he smaller than average in all ways. He was at the hotel with his family and on the rebound after breaking up with his girlfriend. She was at the hotel, because the raccoon was just trying to get away from the mid-winter cold downtown. To make things worse, she was already in heat and in a bad mood. She was drinking, he was drinking, and her conversation on the phone with Kathy that night was getting on her nerves.

"I remember you telling me about that guy! Girl, why did you do it with him? He was almost twice your size?"

"We were both three sheets to the wind and one thing led to another," Marie replied. "Next thing we're both wondering if he could fit and then he's screwing me on the beach." She remembered sitting at table in the bar being almost mesmerized as she watched Michael's furry black tail swishing back and forth as he sat at the counter. Skewing up her courage and not thinking about much more than the aching between her knees, she approached the wolf and said of all things, "Ya'll want to take moonlit swim in the ocean?"

"I don't have my swimsuit," Michael had replied. It was quite obvious that he smelled she was ripe for mating and that he was interested in her scent.

"Neither do I," she giggled as she pulled on his paw. He let her lead him out of the bar and towards the beach. By the time they reached the water's edge, both had left a trail of discarded cloths behind them.

"Did it hurt?" the skunk asked, snapping her out of her musings.

"Sure enough did, it hurt some because he was very big. When he came, he knotted us together tight and that was a might uncomfortable," she answered, just thinking about it made her ache and she wasn't even in season. "He had to carry me to hide behind a small dune when the shore patrol drove by, I thought we were goners. When he finally popped out, I swear it was like Niagara Fall down there with his cum just gushing out. Then he left with his family the next day, but we had already decided there was no future for a relationship. Shit it wasn't even a one night stand, just a drunken rut in the beach and I haven't had sex since then."

"Geeze, you're turning into a virgin again!" the skunk laughed.

"I just haven't dated a guy I'd sleep with since then," the raccoon shrugged as she walked into the kitchen and rinsed her bowl out before putting it into the dish washer. "Honey, I don't think I'll survive another mating season just using pills again."

"You were a bitch this year!" Kathy chuckled. Then she frowned and sighed before adding, "At least I had that prick Sam!"

The raccoon just walked over and hugged her roommate.

"I thought he was the one," Kathy sniffled. "He said he loved me, that asshole! All he wanted was what is between my legs. After all those weeks, he just left me without even a note? I was used and I don't want that to happen to you!"

"Oh that's not going to happen to me again, I've been burned twice and that's enough for this lifetime!" Marie softly growled. "Ever since I was knee high to a grasshopper, I believed that I'd fall in love with some prince charming like in the storybooks. Honey, no more of that love at first sight crap for me, I'm sick and tired of all those damn male coons that think I'm either an easy lay or their meal ticket."

"That's right, didn't your date last weekend with Tony set a new speed record? Where did he take you for dinner again?"

"A glorified truck stop called Mells. They didn't even know how to make sweet tea, they gave me hot water, a tea bag, and a packet of sugar. Chicken sausages on a bun is not my idea of a first date dinner either, I would like to be taken to some place real nice for once."

"Nicer the dinner, more likely he'll want to you to pay him back with your legs spread," Kathy warned her. "You know how men are, always thinking with their other tail."

"Well that night, I had to battle Tony's paws from going up my skirt. He was groping me even as we were riding on the freaking city bus!"

"There just are not very many coons around that can afford to take you to a real nice place."

"I know…I know, I was hoping Jake would like me enough to call me," Marie groaned in frustration.

"I don't think you ever gave him your phone number?" Kathy replied. "At least I don't remember seeing you do so."

"Dadgummit!" the raccoon kind of cursed.

"If you don't find a guy by this winter's mating season, I'm hauling your tail down to The Mating Den and getting you a dildo and some more pills. I'm getting me a set too!"

It was about midday by the time she finished her weekend chores, groomed, and dressed in a short black skirt and a cherry red blouse. As she stepped out of her bedroom, the skunk looked her over. "I thought we were going shopping at Moose Mart, you're dressed as if for a date?"

"You did agree to go with me by his office first to drop off his medal," Marie reminded her roommate. "I just wanted to look nice, in case he was there."

"Okay, but now I'm going to change before we go," the skunk in the old worn jeans and oversize tee shirt complained. "You make me look like striped trash."

They finally made their way uptown to the building where the Runnel Security Company was headquartered, the building was locked up for the weekend, but she tried the outside intercom and a voice answered, "Yeah, watta want sweetheart, we're closed?" the voice squeaked.

"My name is Marie and I was looking for Mister Runnel," she answered.

"Wha'd he do now?" came the reply. "He didn't knock youz up or sumtin?"

"What?" she said as she looked over at the skunk, who was giggling. "Of course he didn't knock me up!"

"Didn't think so, youz look too classy," the voice stated. "He ain't that kinda guy no ways."

"Look is he in?" she huffed. "I've got his medal, Jake left it with me last night at the bar."

"He ain't here, but I'm on my way down," the voice called back.

After a few minutes there was a buzzing noise and a smaller door set inside the larger office front door opened and a brown rat in a black silk shirt and white denim jeans ducked out. He had several thick gold chains around his neck, but the strangest thing was that he had no tail "The name is Tails and you must be that squeeze that the boss was pining over earlier this morning?" the rat introduced himself.

"Your name is Tails?" Kathy scoffed. "Really?"

"I live a dangerous life," the rat shrugged. "Well I did till the boss hired me. During my last job, I had a little problem and I made it out, but my tail didn't."

"Of course," Marie said, trying not to chuckle.

"You are a looker for a coon," the rat continued. "The boss is great wid what he doze, but I don't think so with the broads."

"You called us broads!" Kathy snapped as she stepped towards the rat, she looked down at him. "You take that back."

"What I say?" Tails replied, as he gave her a look of bewilderment. "All I was meaning is you two are pretty and classy looking."

"Oh?" Kathy said.

"Look we're sorry to disturb you…ah Tails," Marie interjected as she reached into her purse and pulled out the medal. "Would you please give this back to Mister Runnel for me, he accidentally left it at the bar?"

"Nope!" Tails replied with a grin. "But I will tell you what! Gimme your name and phone number and I'll have him call youz."

Marie looked down at the rat, "Can I trust you with that information?"

"Youz ain't my type," he said with a grin. "Too tall, but your friend, the sweet looking skunk might be? Youz ever dated a rat before bootiful?"

"In your dreams sailor," Kathy chuckled.

"Youz would like what I'd dream about youz babe," the rat replied with a grin. "So wad youz say?"

"Thanks but no, I don't date strange rats," the skunk giggled.

"Too bad," the rat sighed and then he perked up before he gave her a wink, "If Youz change your mind, youz know where I work doll."

Marie gave him her phone number and he thanked her before returning to work.

"What a strange guy," the raccoon said to her friend as they left. "Was that a Jersey accent?"

"He's not from around here," the skunk answered with a smile. "But he was a little cute."

Marie was in a rotten mood for the remainder of the day, as she nervously waited for the other raccoon to call her, but he didn't.


	4. Dumpster Diving

**Chapter 4: Dumpster Diving**

* * *

 **Jake is bummed because he didn't get Marie's full name and phone number, so he turns to his best friend Nick for advice.**

* * *

Nick plopped himself on the park bench and sipped his coffee. "Where's Judy?" the raccoon sitting next to him in the dark grey suit asked as he tightened his yellow and grey checkered tie.

"Carrots went over to talk to one of the shop owners who's been yipping about some teens hanging around the square in the afternoons," Nick replied as he shifted his gun belt and loosened his uniform's tie.

Jake had spent most of the morning jogging back and forth in the park across the road from the Regency Hotel, his home since he saved Mr. Big that fateful day. He starting jogging at five and finally staggered back into the hotel lobby around eight. "She never showed," he sighed in dejection. "I ran my tail off all morning and no sign of her. You know how much I hate to run, because we coons aren't made for running."

"Ah, the things we do for love!" the fox chuckled as he patted his best friend on his back.

"So now what should I do?"

"Keep running or you could report your fancy medal as stolen and we could put out an APB for her arrest."

"I want to take her out on a date, not have her arrested!" Jake snapped in disbelief before he realized his friend was only joking. "Gee kits, how did I meet your mom? I HAD HER ARRESTED!"

"Calm down Jake, I was only joking!" Nick laughed as he held his paws upward in mock surrender. "What is it about this girl that has you twisted around so much?"

"I don't know? I've never met someone like her before, she's pretty and charming. Her voice has that cute southern accent and she calls me Sugar! I've never been called Sugar by anyone before."

"I'll tell you what you need to do! Go down to River Street tonight, hire and hump Meredith. She'll help you will forget about this girl in no time."

"Not helping fox! What a screwed up life I've got when a cop tells the guy on probation to break the law by paying for sex."

"I was just thinking outside of the box! Seriously, what is going on between you and Meredith? You told me you proposed to her not that long ago."

"Heh, she keeps saying no," Jake replied with a grin. "I don't know what I'd do if she ever said yes, since we don't really love each other in that way? Last time I asked, she said she would only marry me if I let her have lots of affairs."

"Wait, she said she'd marry you if you'd let her cheat?"

"It gets worse, she said as a lady of the evening, she likes variety and would get bored with only having me every night. So I asked her that if she got to cheat on me, could I fool around on her too?"

The fox smiled at his friend's unwillingness to call the wildcat a prostitute and instead used the old moniker lady of the evening, as if that made her career more noble. "Wait, let me guess? She said no." he chuckled.

"Bingo!" the raccoon replied. "She told me that a great marriage has no cheaters, a good marriage can only have one cheater, and a marriage with two cheaters isn't a marriage at all."

"Why is that even making sense?" Nick said in a puzzled tone.

"Because I hang out with hook…ah, ladies of the evening and you're a cop. Between the two of us we've seen it all."

"Not as much as the wildcat," the fox laughed.

"So here's my husband, Zootopia's role model for foxes, sitting around on his lazy butt and sipping coffee with known criminals," Judy suddenly said from behind them.

The fox was so startled that he just about dropped his coffee. "Sneaky rabbit!" he yipped.

"Lazy fox," she replied with a grin. "Now get up before I ticket you for loitering."

"The kind officer was giving me advice," Jake scoffed.

"I heard," she said as she pointed to her ears. "Telling you to hire a hooker is not good advice, either from a cop or a friend."

"Prude!" the raccoon laughed.

"Eeupp!" the rabbit chuckled. "But since when did you pay attention to common sense?"

"Hey I'm an uncommon kind of guy! Now go away and let us big boys talk, you know all that male bonding."

"I'm sure that I can come up for a valid reason to taser you."

"Give her a few moments and she'll get out the fancy telescoping taser baton you gave her for her birthday," Nick observed as he stood up and stretched. "It's back to the beat for me."

"Yeah, I'm heading to the office myself," Jake replied.

"Since when do you go to the office?" Judy asked. "I thought Ratzolli said you were a disruptive influence?"

"It is my company," the raccoon answered in mock horror. "At least my name is still on the door. Besides Jerry is cleaning up my phone, it seems that I downloaded a virus."

"Stay off those porn and fan fiction sites," Nick chuckled as he gave his friend a fist bump.

Judy just shook her head as she gave him a hug before they parted ways.

The raccoon arrived at his office and sat down at his desk, it was a very professional looking office. The walls were painted a calming light green, a maple desk and several dark green fabric woven chairs of various sizes, a couple of bookcases with books that Jake had never read and photos of the raccoon with clients and other famous Zootopians, including a photo with the singer Gazelle. Various plaques and awards from charities or trade groups adorned the walls. On his desk was a phone, along with a fancy pen set next to a small pile of papers. There was also a laptop he had never seen before on the desk.

"Hey Betty, what's all this stuff on my desk?" he yelled to the petite little mouse sitting in front of Jimmy Ratzolli's office.

"They are props boss! We had a customer stop by earlier today and Mister Ratzolli wanted it to look like you actually worked here," she replied with a giggle. "Your phone is in the top drawer."

Jake pulled the repaired phone out and began checking his messages, a few calls from Fru Fru and another from an old associate. Another call was from Fru Fru and then a surprising message from Tails.

"Yo boss, that squeeze youz was looking for came by to see youz and she's got your medal. Her phone number is…" then the message was cut off.

The raccoon about fell out of his chair, then he jumped up and ran to the door. "Betty is Tails here?" he called out.

"He's at lunch Jake and should be back in thirty minutes," the mouse replied.

Betty gave out a startled squeak as the raccoon agilely leapt over her desk and ran frantically towards the tech department.

The tailless brown rat was surprised when he returned to find his boss pacing back and forth near his desk. "Tails, do you still have that phone number of the girl who came by this weekend?" the raccoon begged.

"Naw, I wrote it on a slip of paper after I left youz a message," he answered. "Youz didn't call her?"

"No, Jimmy was fixing my phone and the message got cut off! Tell me you still got it!"

"Sorry boss it tossed it in the break room trash can and they took the trash out this morning."

Ten frantic minutes later, Jake and Tails stood in the office's back alleyway and stared at the large green rusted rectangle box. "I can't believe I'm doing this?" the raccoon cursed as he stripped off his jacket and tie. Climbing the dirty metal, he dropped himself onto the sacks of trash inside the container. His ears twitched at the click of a cell phone camera. "Don't you dare! Delete that photo now!" he snapped at the grinning rat.

Unbeknownst to him, most of his employees were watching the whole event over the building's cameras and laughing as they watched their boss, a raccoon, digging through the dumpster's trash bags.

A rumble came down the alley as a big city trash truck approached the bin, sending the tailless rat frantically waving for the truck to stop. Two raccoons in grey overalls climbed out of the cab, one was a beefy looking guy, and he yelled up at Jake, "Get the hell out of there coon!"

"Go away! I'm looking for something important!" Jake answered. "Come back later."

"Ain't gonna happen, asshole!" the other raccoon called back. "Now get out before I drag your skinny tail out of there."

"What's he looking for?" the other raccoon asked Tails.

"The phone number of a real cute raccoon who lives somewhere around here," the rat shrugged.

"Hey Tony, didn't you have a date not long ago with a coon who lived around her, a hot looker…what was her name?" the raccoon called over to his partner.

"The bitch was named Marie Millbrooks," the beefy raccoon huffed. "I took her to a nice restaurant and she wouldn't even let me cop a feel. She's a real prick teaser, spent all that money and she blew me off."

Jake's head popped out of the bin. "You said her name is Marie?" he asked. "Is she cute with a southern accent?"

"Yup, why?" Tony asked.

"You still got her number?" Jake answered.

"It's in my phone," the other raccoon answered. "But you can't have it asshole."

"Why not?" his partner asked. "Give the guy a break!"

"She's a bitch, that's why!" Tony growled.

"Don't call her that!" Jake snapped.

"Make me!" the beefy raccoon laughed. "She's a bitch! Bitch!" BITCH!

Tails was surprised how fast the snarling raccoon vaulted out of the bin and landed in front of Tony. The larger raccoon took a clumsy swing at Jake, who blocked it and quickly twisted the other raccoon's paw up and behind his back. His hindpaws lashed out sending Tony sprawling muzzle first onto the street. "Now what were you saying about Marie?" Jake growled.

"Nothing dude, she's all yours if you want her," the beefier raccoon whimpered.

Tony's partner watched the other two coons with amusement. "I always told Tony that one day he'd push around the wrong coon," he chuckled. "So today's that day. Give him her phone number, so we can get back to work."

"Sure, just get off me!" Tony groaned. He pulled out his cell phone and told Jake the phone number, since the other raccoon didn't have any paper so he wrote it on his dress shirt sleeve. "Are we square?"

"We're square," Jake answered as he offered his paw to help the other raccoon up.

"Mammal, I box in the medium mammal division and have never been taken down so fast," Tony said as he rubbed his wrist. "I'm impressed."

"Sorry I had to do you like that," Jake replied with a shrug. Slapping a twenty into the other coon's paw, he added. "Have a few beers on me tonight."

As he entered the office he heard the cheers from his employees. "You saw that?" he asked Betty.

"Sorry, Jake we are a security company, so we have cameras all over," the mouse giggled.

"Not with me in the trash," the raccoon sighed as his ears drooped.

"Oh yes," she nodded as she gave him a big grin.

Jake shook his head as he walked into his office.

"Are you okay sir?" Betty asked.

"I just have to make an important phone call," he answered as he closed his office door. "A very important phone call."


	5. Why Hasn't He Called?

**Chapter 5: Why Hasn't He Called?**

* * *

 **Disappointment and anger sets in for Marie, because she thinks that Jake is avoiding her. When he does finally call, she sends him on an impossible task.**

* * *

She was disappointed that he didn't call later that day and was dejected when he didn't call on Sunday. By Monday, Marie had decided he was just a jerk and tried to convince herself that he wasn't worth her time. Slipping off her mint green button down sweater and tucking her light pink blouse into her blue slacks, she looked around her small drab grey office cubical and took time to water the potted ivy plant. She walked to the break room and poured some coffee into her favorite mug, the one her brother John gave her that had G.R.I.T.S. and Girls Raised In The South written on it next to an magnolia blossom. She thought that it was witty, being that grits are also ground up hominy corn and are a popular breakfast dish where she grew up. Returning to her cube, she logged into the network and began to work. Her job was far from glamorous being that she was a low level accountant working for one of the city's major accounting firms.

"Morning sweetheart!" a cheery voice called out to her from the neighboring cube. "Did you do anything exciting this weekend?"

"Not really, just played the lil' old homemaker," she lied. "You know, I had to do all those chores and more chores."

"Lord, I'd love to have time for chores," the ewe sighed. "Sammy was in a butting tournament this weekend, one head bump after another and he came in second for his division. I know it's a ram thing but as his mommy, I'm the one who gets the headaches."

"Thank the Holy Lamb that raccoon kits don't have to prove themselves like that!" Marie giggled. "Elouise, I don't know how you can keep up with everything?"

"It takes a lot of love sweetheart and I keep plenty bourbon in the cabinet. Did I ever thank you for the mint julep recipe?"

"All the time dear!"

Marie settled into her work, not really getting as much done as she wished, because her mind kept going back to thoughts of that male raccoon. Sighing as she pulled the medal out of her purse and laid it on her desk, he had called it a silly undeserved honor but she knew that wasn't true and he had really saved the city's felines. He was a hero of sorts.

With another sigh, she tossed the medal back her purse and gave a little sniffle.

"Are you okay sweetheart?" Elouise call out.

"Just feeling sorry for myself," she sighed. "I met another male and he turned out to be a jerk."

"I'm sorry to hear that! He wasn't all paws was he, like the last one was?"

"No, we didn't even have a date, he's the coon that I met while jogging in the park. I ran into him again at a downtown bar and I thought he was nice," she sighed. Then she told the ewe all about what happened that night and going to his office.

"Sweetheart, a guy like that probably has an ego that got bruised and doesn't care to give you a minute more," Elouise told her. "Move on, he hasn't even bothered to talk to you since then."

She spent the morning picking at the keyboard, still not really accomplishing as much as she wanted. Finally it was lunch time and she and Elouise found a seat at a nearby café. While they were eating, her phone rang. She didn't recognize the phone number and thinking it might be a spammer, she left it unanswered. Whoever it was had left a message and hesitantly she listened to it. "Hi, this is Jake and we met Friday night. I was wondering if you still have the medal, my business partner wants to see it. Please call me back."

 _So all he wants is to get this damned medal back?_ She thought to herself. She looked down at her phone. _He made me wait, so I going to let him wait."_

Fifteen minutes later the phone rang again and he left another message, "Look the truth is that I don't care about the medal, but I would like to apologize to you about running out on you Friday…call me please?"

She was tempted to call back, but she once again hesitated. _He sounded upset about the way he acted, almost desperate?_ Still she held back, pondering why he waited so long before calling. She had, after all, left her phone number on Saturday with that cute rat.

Ten minutes later, the phone rang again but she still didn't answer. The message was a jumbled mess this time. "Please call me! Look I would have called you earlier, but my phone was being repaired and then the message that Tails left on it got partially deleted. I had to dig through the trash looking for the paper he wrote your phone number on and then I met a guy named Tony who gave me your number. Anyways; I was hoping to take you out for dinner to apologize for all of this. Look, you can name the place and time, but please call me! Please!"

"He does sound desperate," Elouise chuckled.

"Yeah, that's what scares me," Marie sighed. "I mean I hope he isn't going to turn out to be a stalker class level jerk. Maybe I should call and turn him down?"

"I don't know if I'd do that. Let's think about this, you met him in the park and he could have chased after you then. I mean you were jogging by yourself and if he was a pervert he could have gotten his paws on you then. Later at the bar, he was real nice up until your roomie pulled that stunt. So he got embarrassed and left, his male pride got bruised."

Her phone vibrated with an e-mail, she opened it and read the text. _It was my fault not Jake's that he did not call you. I lost your number and Jake tried to find it in the trash. Tails._

The phone vibrated again and she opened a picture of a raccoon wearing a pair of nice suit pants and a white dress shirt digging in a dumpster. "Oh my!" Elouise exclaimed. "He really was looking for that phone number."

"So what do you think, I should call him?"

"Sure, at least you can wrangle a good meal from him! after all he did tell you to pick the place, so aim high. What's that place we were talking about last week?"

"I can't ask him to take me to Le Chat!" Marie exclaimed. "That's the city's most trendy restaurant. They say you have to have reservations months ahead to get in, I couldn't ask him to take me there!"

"He sounded desperate!"

The raccoon held the phone and stared at it for a few moments. "Call him sweetheart," Elouise urged her.

She dialed his phone number and it rang only once before he answered. "Marie thank you for calling, I was a real jerk can you please forgive me? I know that I don't deserve your forgiveness, but I would really like to make it up to you," he blurted out.

"Slow down Sugar," she interjected.

"I'm doing it again! Sorry, I'm just glad that you called me back."

"I wasn't going to, until your friend sent me the photo of you in the dumpster," she giggled. "How do you know Tony?"

"I don't, I just met him when he tried to take the dumpster away. He gave me your phone number."

"You talked about me with other raccoons?" she huffed out. "What am I, the talk of all you males? Look there's poor little Marie, you take her out and she won't give out!"

"No…no…no!" Jake desperately replied. "It's nothing like that! I wouldn't get out of the dumpster and Tails told them I was looking for your phone number. Tony said he had your number, but wouldn't give it to me. He called you a not very nice name, so I made him apologize."

"Wait you two fought over me?" Marie said in an incredulous voice.

"Are you sure he's a raccoon and not a ram," Elouise snickered from behind her.

"Well he called you nasty name and I couldn't let him do that!" Jake almost whimpered.

"I can defend myself!" she yelled into her phone. "I certainly don't need some testosterone driven male to uphold my lil' old honor!"

She expected him to argue, but instead he said, "Of course you don't and I'm sorry about that too."

There was silence for a few moments and then he asked, "I guess I blew any chance of asking you out on a date, didn't I?"

"Go for the expensive restaurant, tell him Le Chat!" Elouise whispered. She sounded like the little devil on her shoulder. "Friday at seven, he'll never get you in!"

"Dinner…Friday…seven… Le Chat!" Marie found herself rattling off into the phone.

"Okay, let me make a call and I'll see what I can do," he replied in a not so confident voice. "I'll call you back."

"Oh Lamb, what have I done!" she groaned as she set her phone down on the table and rubbed her eyes with her paws. "That was mean of me."

"Let's just see what happens?" the ewe shrugged. "Did you not want to go out with him?"

"No…I mean yes…I mean no! Yes, I do want to go out with him!"

"Then when he calls back, tell him another choice."

She was startled as her phone rang. "Oh snap, that was fast, I hope he'll forgive me," she said to the ewe.

Elouise watched as she answered, the raccoon looked puzzled when she hung up. "What's wrong, Marie?"

"I have a date this Friday at seven and we're going to La Chat," she mumbled. "He got us in to the restaurant."

He roommate's words of warning suddenly flooded back into his mind, " _Nicer the dinner, more likely he'll want to you to pay him back with your legs spread."_

"I am so screwed," Marie sighed. "It might be in more ways than one!"

She told the ewe what her roommate had said. "Well you don't need to feel obligated to screw anyone because he takes you somewhere nice," Elouise baaed. "If he gives you a hard time, you just call me and I will come get you. I'll bring Ricky and he will ram that raccoon's damned penis up his own ass!"

"I can handle myself," Marie chuckled. "I grew up on a farm with three brothers."

"Just in case, I want you to know that we'll be there for you," the ewe replied.

Marie just stared at the photo of the lean raccoon in the dumpster and smiled, he did have a cute tail.


	6. Who's Got You In A Tizzy?

**Chapter 6: Who's Got You in a Tizzy?**

* * *

 **Preparing for that first date can be stressful and Marie learns something about Jake.**

* * *

"Well I called her and we have a dinner date on Friday," Jake said to the fox as they leaned on the park's fence while tossing breadcrumbs to the ducks in the pond. The fox was once again wearing one of his tacky, but favorite green tropical pattern short sleeved shirts and a red and purple tie.

"So, where are you taking her?" Nick asked his best friend. "The first date is always is the most important."

"Le Chat," the raccoon shrugged. He was a dashing figure in a pink polo shirt and khaki pants.

"No!" the fox groaned out as he rolled his eyes at the raccoon. "You never go someplace like that on a first date!"

"Why not?" Jake asked. The raccoon's ears were drooping with concern as he looked over at the fox, who was now dumping the last of his bread into the pond.

"Because you started at the top and everything from this point will be anticlimactic!" the fox growled as he put his paw on the smaller raccoon's shoulder. "Why did you decide to go there?"

"I asked her where she wanted to go and that's where she picked."

"Oh Dear! So she's going for the big meal before she dumps you."

"Whhaat?" Jake whined.

"She's just using you bud," Nick continued. "She's only going out with you so she can go somewhere she'd never get to go."

"Do you really think so?" the now dejected raccoon whimpered.

"Yep, my friend she is playing you," Nick confidently told him. "You've been hustled Jake. But maybe if she has a good time, she'll at least give you some head or something as repayment."

"Oh, I hope not! I was hoping she'd be more than that."

"I don't think she'll go all the way on a first date!"

"I wouldn't expect that and I don't even want her to do that! I was hoping she was classier then that and I don't want her to feel obligated to have to do anything."

They looked out over the pond for a few minutes, watching the ducks cruising across the water.

"That's why I hang around the ladies down on River Street," the raccoon finally sighed. "Except for faking an orgasm or two, they're at least honest with their regulars."

"It sucks to be you" the fox chuckled as he ruffled the fur between his best friend's ears.

* * *

Across town, a female raccoon in a worn, but comfortable oversized tee shirt sat curled on the couch reading a romance novel and sipping on a glass of sweet iced tea. She looked up as her roommate entered the apartment. "This city is full of jerks," the skunk snapped as she stormed through the apartment, pulling off her stained restaurant uniform blouse as she went. A few minutes later she returned in her robe as she marched towards the bathroom.

"Bad day?" Marie asked. "You're home early."

"Yeah, I got this uppity giraffe who didn't like her shake and dumped the damned thing over my head. I almost lost my cool and sprayed her!"

"That's how ya'll lost your last job," the raccoon reminded her.

"I almost lost my cool," Karen yelled as she closed the bathroom door. "But I didn't."

"I would have up and smelled if you had darling," Marie laughed. "Are you finished for the day?" The sound of the shower drowned out the skunk's reply.

After her college graduation, Marie was looking for apartment in the downtown area and following it was a rather fruitless search for roommates who would live with a Class C predator, then she accidentally stumbled across Karen. The skunk was also struggling to find a roommate and the two girls quickly hit it off. The next major problem was finding an affordable apartment that would rent to the both of them.

Although it was illegal to discriminate against predators, most of the building managers seemed to find some questionable issues with their applications. The underlying unspoken concern mainly had to do with Karen being a skunk and her ability to spray a noxious odor. Finally the two gave up trying to find a place on their own and hired an agency, it took the professionals just a few days to find their current apartment. The building was just off Herd Street, which was an excellent location, but they had the upper left side which faced a bright blinking billboard. The grumpy old landlord, a porcupine, grumbled that at least up there, if Karen sprayed, she'd only stink up the top floor and made then he made them pay a large cleaning deposit.

"I've got a date Friday night," the raccoon announced to her roommate as the skunk came out of the bathroom.

"Great, who with?" the skunk asked as she walked into the kitchen and pulled a beer out of the refrigerator.

"The raccoon with the medal," Marie softly answered. "Jake Runnel."

The skunk looked at her, but didn't explode like she thought she would. Instead Karen chugged down half the beer and burped. "Where's he taking you?" she asked.

The raccoon sat up and meekly replied, "Le Chat."

"Girl, remember what I told you! Are you going to let him rut you after dinner?"

"I'm not sure that if he asked to that, I'd say no this time? He is a stud."

"Huh, we'll maybe a good rutting is what you need," Karen shrugged. "Lion knows that's what I need." Then with a grin she added, "Maybe he'll hump us both if you ask?"

"Karen!" Marie laughed. "I'm hoping he's not that kind of guy."

* * *

He was nervous and he had showered twice already. Carefully placed across the huge bear sized hotel bed were three of his best suits. "Just pick one Jake!" Nick sighed. "You look good in all three."

"But is the blue pinstripe too business like?" the raccoon asked. "I don't want this date to look like a business dinner. I want her to feel special!"

"At what you'll be paying, she better feel special."

"So we're down to the brown suit and the dark blue suit," Jake added as he picked up his phone.

"Who are you calling?"

"I'm calling someone with some fashion sense, I'm calling Fru Fru."

"Hey, what's wrong with my sense of fashion?"

"Oh yes, I taking advice from a guy who wears tropical shirts with mismatched ties," Jake chuckled. "The Wilde style is not something I want to embrace."

"It sets me a step ahead of the rest of the foxes," Nick protested.

"Yeah and what does your mother do for a living?" Jake laughed as he flipped the fox's tie with his paw. "She is a seamstress, so you don't get your fashion sense from her or even from Finn, he usually wears bowling shirts."

"Hey Fru Fru!" Jake said when the little shrew answered. "I have a big date Friday…not Melinda, she moved back to the Cape…no, she's a raccoon…no she doesn't work for your dad…I'm taking her to Le Chat…no I'm not…look it's a first date!" The raccoon rolled his eyes as the shrew excitedly began giving him dating advice. "I think the brown suit…the dark blue, are you sure? Okay, with the light blue shirt and blue and grey checkered tie…I'll muzzletime you so you can look me over before I go… love you too."

"That made her day!" Nick laughed as he came back into the room. "Now you did get her some flowers right? You just can't show up on a date without flowers. Judy likes daisies, especially with salt."

"I don't think Marie is going to eat her flowers," Jake chuckled. "That's a rabbit thing."

"Yeah, you're right," the fox shrugged. "But you still have to get flowers.

* * *

Marie paced back and forth in the apartment. "Can you fix it?" she pleaded to the vixen sitting at the sewing machine and holding the black dress. It was the best dress in her wardrobe and had been her favorite since collage. It wasn't anything fancy, just a simple black silk dress that she saved for special occasions.

"Calm down, of course I can," the fox assured her. "Now sit down and tell me who has you in such a tizzy."

"He's a real handsome raccoon who I met in the park one morning," Marie replied as the vixen began to repair the torn dress seam.

"Does this prince charming have a name?" the vixen asked.

"He's the raccoon who was on television with the mayor and he got a medal for saving the city from the feline distemper outbreak," Marie found herself gushing. "His name is Jake."

The much older vixen acted startled when she said the name. "Are you telling me you have a date with Jake Runnel?"

"Vivian is that a problem?" the raccoon asked the seamstress.

"No, that's wonderful," Vivian Wilde answered with a grin on her muzzle. "He's my son Nicky's best friend."

Marie sat down in shock, "Then ya'll know him?"

"He's a very nice guy. So kind and generous, he stops by with Nicky and takes me to lunch sometimes. Both Nicky and his wife Judy think highly of Jake."

"So he's not a bit of a jerk?"

"Dear me, why would you even think that?" Vivian replied. So, Marie proceeded to tell the vixen her version of the story.

"Well, if Jake said he lost your phone number, he lost it!" the vixen told her as she began to repair the seam. "You'll have to forgive the poor boy, he grew up without a mother and his father was killed by a drunk driver when he was in college. After that he was dirt poor and took up being a burglar just to survive, they say he was very talented but only robbed the homes of those who were…well not nice people. Nicky says he only did it for the thrill of beating their security, just to prove it can be done, and really didn't take too much."

"So I have a date with a thief? Just my luck, I reckon he's another lowlife!"

"No sweetie, he's not at all like that! He got caught and went to jail, so he did his time. When he got out, he saved a businessmammal named Mr. Big from an assassination attack. Nicky said that Jake singlepawedly took down a rhino gang member with just a shovel. After that, he started his own security consulting firm."

"So has your son has been his friend for a long time?" Marie tentatively asked.

"Just over a year, Jake punched him after he saved Mr. Big. But, they dropped all the charges."

"What was he charged with?" Marie asked. Her head was cocked with curiosity, like a canine does. As a farmer's daughter, she grew up playing with the coyote migrant workers who were hired by her family to harvest the apple and fruit crops and had picked up some of her playmates habits.

Vivian looked over at her with a smile. _No wonder Jake wants to date her, she's so cute!_ The vixen mused. "Nicky is a police officer," she proudly stated. "Jake was charged with assaulting an officer, but in all fairness he was disoriented having just been pulled from under unconscious polar bear."

"Oh my!" the raccoon exclaimed.

"Of course, the truth is that Nicky was a conmammal before he was a cop and hustled Jake out of some of his money. But now they are best friends."

"We are talking about the same raccoon? I don't see how the fella I have a date with could do all of that."

"There is only one Jake Runnel," Vivian laughed. "Now please try this dress on for me."


	7. The Big Date

**Chapter 7: The Big Date**

* * *

 **Marie gets to go to the restaurant in style, but not the way she expected. Her evening also turns of to be more than she could have ever dreamt of, thanks to Jake.**

* * *

"Do I look okay?" Marie asked her roommate Karen for the tenth time that night.

The skunk looked over at the panicked raccoon in the black silk dress with the ruby necklace. "You look divine," the skunk chuckled. "Now sit and calm down!"

"Okay…okay!" the excited raccoon sat down at the kitchen counter and logged into her laptop. "Which fork is the fish fork again?" she muttered to herself.

"Would you stop that!" the skunk groaned. "You're going to be too nervous to eat."

"I'm already too nervous!" Marie exclaimed. "I don't want him to think I'm some redneck hick from down south."

"You're worried that a raccoon who is from Happy Town and has served time in jail, is going to look down on you? Just follow his lead."

"You're right, I am being silly!"

She sat there for a few minutes before she jumped up and began pacing again.

"You keep doing that, you're going to get sweaty!" her roommate warned her. "Sit down and wait, he'll be here in a few minutes."

With a huff Marie sat down for a few moments and then she looked at the kitchen clock. "He's late!" she muttered. "I reckon he's not coming."

"That clock is ten minutes fast," Karen reminded her. "We set it that way, because you don't like being late."

The raccoon jumped up again, crossed over to the door, and peeked through the eyehole. With a start, she stepped back and whispered, 'He's standing in front of the door!"

The skunk ran over and peeked at the male raccoon, he was standing in front of the doorway staring at his watch. Karen giggled to her roommate, "He's punctual!" They both stood and waited, looking at the door. Precisely on time, he rang the doorbell.

Before she could answer the door, her roommate grabbed her arm. "Let him wait for a moment," she giggled. "See what he does."

"That's not nice!" Marie whispered back.

"I know! Now go into the bedroom and don't come out until I call you."

"Why?"

"Just do it!" Karen hissed.

The doorbell buzzed again and the skunk opened the door. Standing before her was the handsome raccoon in a dark blue suit holding a dozen white and yellow daisies. "You're late!" Karen complained pointing towards the kitchen clock.

"No, I'm not!" the male raccoon replied in confused tone. "I should be right on time?"

The skunk in the pink tee shirt and torn jeans just stood there in the doorway, not moving.

"Is Marie available?" Jake asked.

The skunk stepped back and called for her roommate.

"May I come…" Jake began to ask, but he didn't finish what he was saying when Marie stepped out of her room and instead he just stared at the sight of her. The black silk dress accented her curves just right and the color highlighted her grey and dark grey fur. He about dropped the flowers as he stood there with his muzzle agape.

"Are those for me Sugar?" she asked, trying not to giggle at the way he was acting.

"What?" he asked as if in a fog.

"The flowers are they for me?"

"Oh yes!" he answered as he snapped out of his trance. "These are for you." He grinned as he handed them to her, their paws briefly touching causing them both to blush.

"You two are going to be late if you don't hurry," Karen interjected as she took the flowers from her roommate's paw. I'll put these in a vase for you."

"Thank you," Marie almost purred.

"Oh and I have something for you too!" Jake added with a grin. He pulled a small box out of his pocket and handed it to Karen. She looked at him in surprise as she opened the box, only to find a cheap plastic Mickey Mouse watch inside. "So you won't ask me for the time again."

Karen let out a laugh. "That really was mean of me," she replied.

"No, mean was my leaving without saying why," he said, not to her, but to Marie.

"Just don't do it again Sugar."

"Now my new plastic watch tells me you two will be late if you don't get going!" the skunk admonished them both.

He offered her his arm as they left the apartment and walked to the elevator. She was surprised to find a black sedan waiting for them. A tall well-dressed black panther with scars on his right eye and wearing a black chauffeur's hat held the door open. "I thought you were driving?" she asked the raccoon.

"I can't," he shrugged as he grinned at her. "I never got my license."

"Good evening madam," the chauffeur greeted her as he helped her into the car.

"Thank you," she replied.

"Marie, this is Renato Manchas," Jake introduced her to the driver. "He's a friend."

"At your service," Renato chuckled as he tipped his cap and slightly bowed. "You look very pretty tonight miss."

"Thank you kindly," Marie almost squealed in delight as she looked around at the inside of the car, she had never been in such a luxurious vehicle before. She gave Jake a grin when slipped into the car besides her.

Heads turned when they arrived at the restaurant, apparently a few famous movie stars were inside and it brought out the paparazzi. Marie was surprised as the reporters ran to film them as they stepped out of the car.

"Who's that?"

"No one special!

"That's the raccoon that got that medal."

"Runnel, I think that's his name."

Jake took her arm and escorted her into the restaurant. As the approached the maître d', the old goat looked down at them. "Good evening, I'm Jake Runnel and Kat is expecting me." Jake told him.

"I'm sorry sir, but you are not on tonight's list," the old goat haughtily snorted.

"Just tell Kat I'm here," Jake replied with a smile. "As I said, she's expecting me."

"Really sir, Chef Korre is too busy to be bothered by your likes," the maître d' sniffled out. "So, please leave or I will have you removed."

Marie looked first at the raccoon and then at the goat in confusion.

"Just do us both a favor and tell Kat I'm here," Jake sighed.

"I'm sorry…" the goat began, only to be cut off by a shout from across the restaurant.

"Jake, there you are!" a portly lynx dressed in a chef's jacket yelled as she approached the raccoon with open arms. "Why didn't you use the backdoor?"

"Kat!" the raccoon protested as he was crushed by the bigger cat's embrace.

"And this must be Marie?" the chef enthusiastically laughed. "Now come on you two, your table awaits you!" She grabbed Marie's paw and pulled her toward the kitchen with Jake following behind. There was surprised murmuring from many of the other patrons wanting to know why the raccoons were getting such special treatment? They left the dining room and entered into the kitchen, where there was a table complete with white linens and a candle set up in a corner.

"Slow down cat!" Jake chuckled as he pulled a chair out for Marie. "Marie Millbrooks, I'd like to introduce you to Chef Kat Korre."

"It's nice to meet you!" Marie gushed. "I saw ya'll on Iron Skillet."

"Well you both just take a seat, this is what we call in the business the Chef's Table," the lynx laughed. "I don't usually do a Chef's Table, but Jake called and I owe this coon a big favor. Did he tell you that when he was in jail, he talked my nephew out of committing suicide? It turns out that cat is a bit of an artist and is now an apprentice glassblower for Dale Cabassous, so sit and I will serve you myself."

"Kat, you really don't need to do that!" Jake protested.

The cat walked over and kissed the raccoon's cheek. "Of course I do, you're like family."

Kat had opted to serve them a five course meal starting with a smoked oyster with a sweet jalapeno sauce, followed by a creamy mushroom soup. After that the celebrity chef had to make her rounds in the restaurant. "My place is the latest craze in the city today, but if I don't play the crowd it will be forgotten tomorrow." When she returned, Kat served them braised artichokes with sun dried tomatoes. Then the chef pulled up a chair and joined them for a dish of stuffed squab served over wild rice. As they ate, Jake leaned back and happily watched as the farmer's daughter and the celebrity chef got into a conversation about, of all things, the best types of apples to use to make applesauce.

"Jake if I wasn't already married, I steal this girl from you!" Kat proclaimed. "But my wife would not be happy if I brought her home." The chef excused herself and returned with a slice of cake with rum pouched fruit and two forks. She obviously expected them to intimately share the same dish. A waiter also arrived with cups of coffee.

Later that night after they said goodbye to the chef and had returned to back to her apartment, Jake escorted her to her door. She battled with herself about inviting him in for a nightcap with the possibility of more, but instead he stopped in front of her doorway. "I had fun tonight and I think Kat really likes you." He said with a nervous smile.

"I had fun too," she replied. "Thank you for taking me there Sugar."

"I would like to go out with you again," he continued as she opened the door. Her roommate had already conveniently disappeared into her own bedroom.

"I'd like that."

"Maybe next weekend?"

"That would be lovely, but this time no limos or fancy restaurants," she giggled. "Let's be less pretentious."

"Ah, I'll work on that and by the way thank you."

"For what?" she asked. Again without realizing it, she cocked her head in that cute canine questioning way.

"For showing me what a fish fork was," he chuckled. "I had no idea what all that different silverware is used for, that was the first time I've been in such a fancy restaurant. Well, that's not quite true because I've had late night snacks with Kat before, but I never went through the front door and always we ate at the kitchen counter."

She leaned forward, ready to invite him in but he was hesitant. Finally he broke their silence. "Good night." He said as he reached and took her paw, lifting it to his lips as he gave it a tender kiss. "I'll call you, thank you again."

After he turned to leave, she stood in the doorway and called out, "Don't lose my phone number again, Sugar!"

He laughed as he replied, "I gave it to my secretary Betty and she's more reliable than I am."

As he entered the elevator, she ran down the hallway to peek out of a window, watching as the raccoon climbed into the sedan's front seat next to the driver.

"Well someone had a good time!" Karen said as she joined her by the hallway window. "I guess I was wrong,"

"What about?" Marie asked.

"You know, the more expensive the restaurant the wider they'll expect you to…well, you know!" the skunk giggled.

"He even didn't try. I would have let him if he had asked, but he's a real gentlemammal. He even kissed my paw goodnight and didn't try to kiss me! Ya'll know that old routine that good girls never kiss on a first date?"

"So do you have another date?" Karen asked and Marie nodded as she stared out the window at the departing sedan. "Good, you still have his medal"

"Dang nab it!" the raccoon at the window groaned.


	8. The Day After

**Chapter 8: The Day After**

* * *

 **Jake gets some bad news about his weekend plans and Marie faces prejudice before being cheered up by a familiar fox.**

 **(Lemon warning!)**

* * *

Jake stripped naked as he slipped under the sheets of his oversized bed and snuggled into his pillows with a sigh. He had a good time with his date Marie, the food was sublime and the company even better. Smiling he hugged one of the pillows as he remembered her cute smile and for once, as he nodded off, it was her brown eyes peering from her dark grey fur mask and not those of his old infatuation from collage, a red panda named Sonya.

The male raccoon slept soundly that night, awaking with a yawn and a stretch. He didn't have time for jogging this morning because he had a breakfast with his partner Jimmy Ratzolli and then afterwards, he was going to work out at the gym. Lazily he rolled onto his back and grinned as he thought about Marie, her body's curves and her sexy southern accent. She had a mouth ready to be devoured by his kisses, her tail…he felt himself stirring and reached down to use his paw to stroke himself. The pleasure increased as he stroked faster, he was imaging seeing her naked and willing in his bed. With a groan and a gasp, he exploded and sprayed a sticky mess onto his belly and chest. He panted and sighed before reaching for some tissues to wipe up his spent seed.

After showering and grooming, he put on his chocolate brown suit, a light yellow dress shirt, and a brown and blue striped tie before happily heading down stairs for his morning meeting. He gleefully laughed as he caught himself almost skipping as he walked towards the elevator and wanted to twirl in his happiness.

Breakfast with Jimmy Ratzolli was downstairs in the hotel's restaurant. "Jake you're in a good mood today," the brown rat in the grey suit said as he sipped his coffee. "I take it your date went well."

"Yes, we had a grand time!" Jake gushed. "Now, I've got to come up with something for this weekend. Something that is very special for our next date!"

"Ah Jake, when are you planning to have this date?" Did you forget that this is the big trade convention weekend? You my friend are booked with meetings and dinners with our clients and suppliers."

"Shit!" the raccoon growled. "I forgot completely about the convention."

"Yeah, you're thinking with your wrong head. If you would come to the office more often and not disrupt our staff's productive by climbing in trash bins and fighting with city employees…wait, on second thought, stay away from the office."

"A lot of help you are rat."

"This has to be the rockiest beginning of any relationship," Jimmy snickered. "Now we've got a lot to cover this morning, so you can worry about your love life later on."

With his ears now drooping, the raccoon glumly picked at his eggs as the rat began covering the weekend's agenda.

* * *

Across town, Marie awoke in the early morning with a yawn. She had overslept and did not even hear her roommate leaving for her morning shift at the restaurant. She rolled over and dreamed of the handsome raccoon with whom she had dinner with last night, the touch of his paw, the gleam in his eyes, how his slim body moved and that oh so sexy tail. She imagined his paws upon her body, caressing her nipples. With a sigh, she moved her paw under her pajama pants and between her legs, finding that golden spot which she frantically massaged until she gasped and moaned at her endeavors. Finally panting, she blushed because it had been a long time since she had done that to herself.

After several minutes of just enjoying being lazy in bed, Marie finally climbed out from under her covers and stripping off her pajamas took a shower. She hummed a happy tune as the hot water cascaded down her body. She chose her favorite body shampoo, which had a hint of strawberry scent and scrubbed herself clean. All the time as she groomed, she thought about Jake. A female raccoon didn't have to use makeup or eyeliner, her fur mask made such endeavors unnecessary. Unlike some prey animals, such as zebras who painted their hoofs different colors, predator animals usually left their claws unpainted, but Marie did take time to trim and buff hers.

Dressing in a simple light blue blouse and a pair of khakis, she decided to go shopping at the nearby grocery store in the square. The store was renowned for their organic produce and as a farmer's daughter, she appreciated her vegitables. She snatched up her purse and shopping bags, before she walked the five blocks to the square. The green space across from the store was full of children playing and she giggled as a tiger cub kicked a soccer ball back and forth with an young antelope. The two children's laughter was infectious and already being in a good mood, she began to hum Gazelle's latest song as she entered the store. Picking up a basket, she went straight to a bin filled with one of her favorite vegetables, sweet corn. The ears were green with golden silk tassels on top, she peeled back some of the corn to reveal the mouthwatering yellow kernels, they were perfect.

"All I'm saying is that they are running off my regulars!" a fat rabbit in a dirty dress shirt and jeans complained to a smaller female police officer, who was also a grey rabbit. "Good mammals won't come around here with their types around."

"Their types!" the uniformed doe snapped back. "The square is a public place and is open for the use of all citizens."

"You know what I mean? Those preds are ruining my business! Sales have been off these past few weeks."

"Maybe it has to do with the way you treat your customers? No one is breaking the law, so what do you want me to do?"

"Come on, this used to be a pred free zone!" the shopkeeper complained. "Now look at what I have to put up with!"

Marie was astonished when she realized he was looking at her! "You know that coons are thieves!" he tried to quietly whisper to the cop.

"They are not!" the doe snapped back. "The law…."

Marie didn't hear the rest of what the officer said, because she had put the basket down and fled from the store. Sure she had faced species group discrimination before, but this was aimed specifically at her. As a country girl, she grew up sheltered in a community that knew her, because her family had been farming the same land for over two hundred years. Predators and prey grew up together for centuries and she and her mother were always welcomed when they would go shopping in the nearby village of Warrenton. But here in the city, she had faced discrimination first hand from both from those who hated predators and those who used her to justify their social awareness, the _"I have a friend who's a pred and she's even a raccoon,"_ crowd.

She sat down on a bench in the park and sniffled, feeling sorry for herself. "I think there is a law against pretty ladies crying in the park," a male voice said from behind her. She turned and looked up at the smiling officer. "Are you okay miss?" the handsome red fox in a police uniform asked.

Marie's eyes widened as she read his name badge. "I reckon that I'm just feeling a little tired of being signaled out for being born a predator Office Wilde," she replied.

"I know what you mean," he chuckled. "Try being a fox! You know we are sly and dangerous, I once heard a priest say we were responsible for the first sin."

"And I was up and branded with this fur mask because of my ancestor's thievery! Why can't others just see us for what we really are?"

"Because it's easier to stereotype someone, then it is to get to know them. When I show up on call, it's not uncommon for someone to call the office saying that there is a fox impersonating an officer."

"But aren't you the only fox currently in the police force?" she asked. The very presence of the uniformed fox buoyed her spirits.

"Guilty as charged," he mockingly sighed as he put a paw to his forehead as if fainting.

"So just how did a lil' old con-artist become a cop?" Marie giggled.

"Do I know you?" Nick replied in a confused manner, as his once genuine smile now became a defensive smirk.

"No, but I know your momma," Marie replied with a smile. "She makes some of my cloths. In fact she repaired my favorite black silk dress for a date I had last night."

"My, what a small world?" Nick replied as the genuine smile returned to his face. "You didn't go out to a fancy restaurant last night?"

"I did with a fella named Jake."

"You're Marie Millbrooks! I don't believe this!"

He sat next to her and pulled out his phone, "I've got to get a selfie with you, it'll drive Jake crazy."

"I leave you alone for one minute and you're hitting on girls," a voice spoke from behind. "Really Slick!"

The fox looked up at the rabbit, who Marie recognized was the same police officer which had been arguing earlier with the store manager, "Carrots you need to get in this shot too, this is Marie. You know, the girl Jake had a date with last night!"

"I saw you earlier in the store, that guy is a jerk. My name's Judy Hopps, actually its Hopps-Wilde."

"Nick is your husband?" Marie asked as she shook the rabbit's paw. "Ya'll are married to a fox?"

"Someone has to keep an eye on him," the doe over dramatically sighed. "The burdens we females take on for the good of civilization!"

Marie laughed and it was as if the presence of these two was washing away the bitterness that she felt from her earlier bigoted treatment within the store. With Nick and Judy around, there was hope again that despite biological differences, everyone was the same deep within their souls. She gave a genuine smile as Nick took the photo.

"Well I sent it to Jake, let's see what he does?" Nick laughed. "That is if he has his phone on and it's charged…not broken…left on his dresser….well the guy has a problem with cellphones."

They waited for a few minutes and Nick's phone rang. "Yeppp!...we're with Marie…planning to interrogate her about your date since you haven't bothered to call me yet…I told you, I know everyone…please, I can keep a secret…you do know she's standing right next to me…hello?"

Nick gave a grin as he looked at his phone, "He hung up on me. One…two…three!" he counted before he pointed at Marie. "It's your turn."

Marie jumped as her phone rang. "Hello Sugar," she giggled as she answered. "I sorry what?...I shouldn't believe anything out of the fox's mouth? Now ya'll got me curious!...Okay, but don't lose my number again…Bye Sugar."

She looked at the laughing fox and rabbit. "So what is it I 'm not supposed to believe?" she asked.

Before he could answer, Judy nudged the fox. "Are you seeing what I am seeing?" she asked him.

"You mean that truck blocking traffic as it unloads at the grocery store," Nick replied with a broad grin. "Blocking traffic, I think that's a traffic violation."

"You're up Slick," Judy laughed as the fox casually strolled towards the truck, while pulling out his ticket book.

The rabbit and raccoon watched as Nick approached the truck and waved his digit at the driver, a younger rabbit wearing the store's logo on his shirt. The older rabbit ran out of the store and was literally so mad that he was hopping up and down while yelling at the officer. Neither of the females could hear what was being said, but the fox's cool smirk told them volumes as he filled out the ticket and handed it to the distraught driver. The still full truck rumbled down the road until it found a legal parking spot.

Nick didn't return immediately, instead he walked down the alleyway behind the store and returned a few moments later to watch as the driver and the angry shop owner manually began to unload and haul the truck's contents crate by crate down the street. Finally he returned to Marie and Judy, as he was talking on the radio.

"What did you call in?" Judy asked him.

"So after he called me a damn fox, I thought I'd poke around some more and it seems that the emergency exits are blocked," the fox shrugged. "I think the store owner's day is going to get a little worse, because I made a call to the fire inspector,"

Marie giggled.

"Actually a lot worse, because Pedro's on his way over," Nick laughed. "He's a maned wolf, so he looks like a red fox on steroids."

"You're evil Slick!" Judy chuckled.


	9. The Scent of a Wildehopps

**Chapter 9: The Scent of a Wildehopps**

* * *

 **Jake learns that every mammal has a unique scent and his date night is ruined.**

* * *

The quaint bar was crowded, as it was on many Thursday nights, and since it was located not that far from the downtown police headquarters, the Green Dragon Pub was what they called a "cop bar." Twice a month, members of Bogo's team would gather to socialize and generally blow off steam, it also wasn't unusual for Jake to follow along after Nick and when he did, he usually picked up everyone's tab. In the old police code, it was a 10-411 for Runnel's buying, but since the department was transitioning to plain speak, it was now "Runnel's Having a Meeting", which was a creative play on the fact that Jake's accountant had figured out how to write the evenings off as a business expense.

"So, just what you are saying?" the lean grey and black furred raccoon asked the wolf. Jake stood there with his white dress shirt's sleeves rolled up and his tie undone.

"That every mammal species has a unique underlying smell. A raccoon is going to smell like a raccoon, a lion like a lion, and so forth. Then there is the difference between a male and a female's scent within that species. Finally every mammal has his or hers unique scent, you have a scent unique to yourself and different from any other coon."

"Okay, I've got that," the raccoon replied as he waved his paw for Officer Wolford to continue.

The timber wolf in a medium blue ZPD tee shirt and dark blue uniform fatigues grinned at the raccoon. "Then there are changes within your scent, we wolves can smell if you have a bad illness or are afraid and even if you are lying," the wolf continued. "Some scents are more pronounced, such as when a female is in heat and a male's musk in response."

Alan Wolford stopped to sip on his beer and munch on a pawful of turkey flavored kibble. "So when we train recruits for the K -9 Unit, they have to be able to identify mammals by their scent alone. To do this we blindfold them and parade various cops through the room, most can identify each mammal. Then we send in Nick, only forty percent can identify his species."

"I don't understand?" Jake said as he took another sip of his ale.

"Aw come on!" the wolf barked out a laugh. "Those Nick and Judy are so close that they almost smell alike! Nick smells mostly like a fox, but also a rabbit!"

"Huh, I guess I'm used to them by now?"

"A fox smells like a fox and a rabbit smells like a rabbit. But the way Nick and Judy smell, we call it the Wildehopps scent!"

"I don't believe you," the raccoon said as he hopped off the chair and slightly staggered towards Judy. She was sitting at a table with several other officers.

"Jake what are you doing?" the rabbit giggled as the raccoon began to earnestly sniff at her neck and side. He didn't answer but stumbled away to find Nick.

There was laughter from the pool room when everyone in the bar heard Nick yelp, "I'll deck you if you sniff my butt!"

"But Wolford says you have the Wildehopps scent!" the tipsy raccoon objected. "You do smell a lot like Judy!"

Several officers laughed and looked at the wolf. "Still telling that Wildehopps scent story?" Officer Higgins guffawed out. "Another victim!"

The wolf just shrugged and grinned.

* * *

Jake awoke the next morning with a hangover. How he got back to the Regency Hotel, he had no inkling, but the fact he was still dressed in his underwear indicted he did not get there by himself. "Well at least I didn't awaken in bed with someone I didn't know," he mumbled as he wobbled towards the bathroom. He reached for his phone and saw it was already past ten in the morning. "If I had a full time job, I'd fire myself."

After peeing for what seemed like forever, he brushed his fangs and then took some pain medication for his throbbing forehead before stumbling into the shower. The water was hot and seemed to burn away the aches from his previous night's stupidity. Reaching for the new bottle of body wash, he sniffed the strawberry scent and it suddenly occurred to him why he liked the smell. Wolford had said every mammal had a scent unique to his or her self and Marie smelled faintly like strawberries.

As he scrubbed the shampoo into his fur, he remembered how disastrous their second date had been. It started with his having to reschedule their promised date because of he had to work, he had forgotten about a conference when he asked her out. He then came unannounced to her office, thinking to surprise her and break the news in person, but she was at a client. They spoke later that night and she was disappointed, but they rescheduled for the next weekend. Then she got sick with a very bad cold and their date was rescheduled again to the following weekend.

When that Saturday came, he told her to dress for biking and they took the subway to the Haymarket Station in the Meadowlands on a warm sunny morning. He rented bikes and they peddled the backroads through the quaint farms and had a picnic of smoked salmon, crusty bread, and an apple salad alongside the Pennygreen River. The morning was perfect, but then the weather turned for the worst and by the time they arrived back at the station they both were sopping wet and cold. He gave her his jacket and held her as she shivered on the ride home. It was as he held her close on the subway that he smelled strawberries. For all his efforts, all he got was a kiss on his cheek from his now sneezing date.

He finally got his first kiss and it was after their third date. This time they had decided to play it safe and do the dinner and a movie routine. Jake had resigned himself to having to watch a traditional chick flick, but was pleasantly surprised when she chose an action movie called _Transferee 3._ Dinner was at a restaurant near the theater, a place Nick had recommended. It was an aquarium, where they dined surrounded by a huge tank of saltwater fish. The food was mediocre, but it was more than offset by the wonder of all the fish swimming by as they ate. Jake had never been to an aquarium before and he realized afterwards that he was almost childlike in his sense of wonder during the meal, something Marie actually found endearing.

Unfortunately for romance, the movie was too action packed and had them on the edge of their seats. Jake had planned to slip his arm around her and steal a kiss or two like a teenager, but that was forgotten in the excitement. Marie did find his paw and arm as she gripped them tightly several times during the movie. Afterwards, they held hands as they walked back to her apartment where they shared a brief first kiss, which was spoiled by her parents calling.

Now standing naked in the shower, Jake sighed as he realized he was acting like a teenager in love and not an adult. This would be their forth date and he knew others his age would be screwing each other's brains out by now, but to do that to her seemed wrong. He knew she deserved more than that from him and was bound and determined to treat her like a lady. "She deserves better than me," he spoke to himself.

He skipped the gym again because his head wouldn't be able to handle the workout. Instead he ordered coffee and dry toast from room service as he sat down and opened his laptop to the schematics of Tail's newest alarm system. It was late afternoon by the time he took a break, the empty cup and half eaten toast sitting on the table. He sighed and stretched before realizing he had only an hour to get ready for his date with Marie.

* * *

"So this is what, your fifth date?" Karen called out to her roommate. "Are you two ever going to do more than kissing?"

"Fourth date and no…I don't know?" Marie sighed as she buttoned up her pink blouse and trucked it into her dark brown skirt. "We're going to have a nice simple dinner and then take a stroll through market in Sahara Square."

"Not going to the casino? I heard the Palms is the bomb, maybe you can convince him into spending the night in one of those fancy suites!"

"I'm not planning on sleeping with him tonight."

"Wait it wasn't that long ago that you would have if he asked," her roommate replied. "What happened?"

"It's not that I don't want to, but Jake seems so innocent when we're together," Marie sighed. "It's like he's never had a true relationship before and I want our first time to be special."

"Don't tell me he's a virgin?" the skunk snickered. "At his age, that would be weird."

"I'm sure he's not, at least I don't think he is?"

"Are you getting the fancy car and driver again? You haven't been in one since the first date."

"I told him not to waste money like that, the subway will be fine. He was cute when he told me that spending money on me was not a waste. I reminded him I was an accountant and knew better."

"Cheapskate!" the skunk yawned as she turned on the news.

"Jake is not a cheapskate!" the raccoon grumbled.

"I was talking about you and not him," Karen laughed.

"I'm a farmer's daughter," Marie laughed back. "That just makes lil' old me frugal."

Jake arrived early and he was mad. Marie opened the door for the handsome raccoon in the light yellow polo shirt and khakis, but she was met by a frown. "I'm sorry, but I have to break our date tonight, I have to go to work," he snapped. "Someone tried to break into a very important client's warehouse and I've got to go there to meet with him."

"Oh!" she sighed. "Did they get anything?"

"No, the security system worked and the cops have them in custody. I've just got to show myself and have a few drinks with the client to convince him about some upgrades."

"Darn, can we reschedule?" she asked as she bit her lower lip. "Maybe next weekend?"

He stared at the floor for a few moments, before looking in her eyes. "I don't want to wait that long to see you again, maybe we can have brunch in the morning?"

"Don't you usually have Sunday lunch with the Big family?" .

"He'll understand," Jake replied with a smile. "I've already told him and Fru Fru about you."

"Oh?" Marie replied as she found herself blushing. She knew that Jake had a high regard for Mister Big, the shrew was a father figure to him. As he turned to leave, she grabbed his paw and pulled him towards her for their lips to meet in a kiss. She wanted to giggle as he stumbled backwards with a startled expression. Instead of leaving, he stepped closer and took her in his arms again for another kiss.

"Work…" she sighed.

"What?" he asked as he gazed into her eyes.

"Go to work Sugar," she giggled.

"Oh yeah, Work!" he said. "It sucks sometimes being a responsible adult! Tomorrow at nine thirty?"

"It's a date," she replied as she began to close the door.

* * *

The arresting officers kept the two perpetrators at the scene of the crime and the sergeant in charge wanted to laugh when Jake Runnel arrived and angrily threw open the patrol car door to growl at the two thieves inside. "RACCOONS!" he yelled. "What the hell were you two thinking trying to break into one of my firm's clients? Just because we are born with a mask doesn't mean we have to live up to our stereotype!"

The arresting officers began to protest as Jake physically hauled both bandits out of the car, before he launched into an angry tirade. "Do you two idiots even know how owns this place?" the raccoon snarled. The two coons eyes widened when they looked over at the large black limo parked down the road. The cops were astounded as Jake began pushing them towards that vehicle. The door opened and both climbed into the car.

"Can he do that?" an officer asked.

"Probably not, but let's see how this plays out," the sergeant grinned as he replied. The rhino watched with renewed interest.

Moments later the two raccoons staggered out of the limo and practically ran towards the cops, before climbing back into the police car.

A few moments Jake joined them and tossed the door open again. "I HAD TO BREAK A DATE BECAUSE YOU TWO ASSHOLES!" he yelled. "I don't ever see you two near any of my buildings again!"

The two other raccoons vigorously nodded before he slammed the door. "Thank you for your indulgences officers," Jake said in a kind tone to the police officer. Then turning, he walked back to the waiting limousine and opened the door. "Good evening Mister Catpone."


	10. That Other Woman

**Chapter 10: That Other Woman**

* * *

 **Jake meets with a dear friend and has to break the news to her.**

* * *

She knew that something had changed in their relationship as soon as they entered into the cheap motel room. The highland wildcat was beautiful, with brownish grey fur that had black tabby stripes. She had begun to remove her tight green dress that clung to her curvy body when the raccoon told her to stop. She turned and saw that he was still partially clothed in his brown suit, only having removed his jacket and tie before he sat down on the rickety bed.

"Take a seat Meredith," Jake sighed. "We need to talk."

"Ach, so this is when you tell me that you've found another girl," the prostitute said with a forced smile on her muzzle. Her green eyes were searching the face of the bonnie raccoon that she had made love to so many times before.

"Look…it's just…you know," the raccoon nervously began to reply as he avoided her eyes and instead stared at the stained peeling wallpaper that decorated the room.

"Why Mister Runnel, I've known you for all these years and this has to be the first, no the second time you've been tongue tied around me," she giggled as she sat down on the bed by him. "So tell me her name boyo."

"Her name is Marie Millbrooks," he replied as he pulled out his cellphone and showed her photo. "It's just that I really like her."

"She's a bonnie lass," the wildcat observed as she held the phone in her paws. "A real looker too, she is at that. Have you two made love yet."

"No!" Jake snapped and then he reached for the phone and looked at her picture. "It's not that I haven't wanted to, the Great Lamb knows I do…"

"But she's special." Meredith finished his sentence as she placed her paw on top of his.

"Yes and I want the time to be right, you know what I mean," he replied, moving his paw from her touch.

"You're asking a hooker when the time is right?" she giggled.

"You know that you're more to me than just an escort," the raccoon responded to her laugh. She knew he hated the word hooker and preferred a more formal term for her profession. "You are my friend."

"Aye, I know Jakie," she said as she suddenly grabbed his arm and put her head against his shoulder, this time he didn't pull away. "Like a sister, except for the sex."

"Except for the sex," he chuckled. "We have shared some of that over the years."

"You were one of my best," she sighed.

"I should have been, you just about taught me everything I know," he replied as he slipped his arm over her shoulder. "You were my first."

"Aye and a shy one you were indeed! I remember the evening we first met. You approached me on the corner. You were a wee skinny runt back then, half-starved and desperate."

"I wanted to know what it was like to be a prostitute. Since I couldn't find a good steady job, I was ready to sell my body."

"You would have made a terrible hooker," the cat chuckled. "You should have seen your face when I told you that the male prostitutes around here were hired out to other males and you were too skinny in the ass to handle that."

"I thought all my clients would be females," the raccoon replied as he pushed himself further onto the bed and propped his head up on the pillows. "You know, I've always wondered why there are not many male prostitutes on this section of the street?"

She crawled up to him and put her head on his chest before answering, "They work down in Red's territory because Jerry says he doesn't like that kind of business." Jerry was the local pimp, a muscular snow leopard, who like Meredith, had befriended Jake.

"I've never taken Jerry for being a homophobe?" the raccoon asked. "I thought the big guy was bisexual?"

"It's the clientele," the cat replied. "Some tend to be more violent with the guys, sadistic even. Society hasn't fully embraced their lifestyle and this leads to a greater chance of physical or mental abuse."

"I never thought about that," he replied as his paws began to stroke her ears.

"Now Jakie, when the time comes for you two to do it please be gentle," the cat purred. "Unless she likes it rough laddie."

"I've been well trained," he laughed.

"Aye, I've taught you all I know!" she giggled. "And trust me when I say you've become the master."

" _Now Jakie that tongue is made for more than just talking!"_ he tried to mimic her accent.

"That's the bloody gratitude I get from you laddie! she giggled. "I even washed myself good down there before I taught you where to lick, so I didn't taste like someone's rubber.

"Ha, you've always spoiled me. Remember our first time?"

"Aye, you didn't even make it through putting on the condom. That's when I realized you were still a virgin."

"I wasn't for much longer."

"I am honored that I was your first," she sighed as she snuggled closer into his embrace. She fought the urge to touch him, he was tenting his pants but neither made a move in that direction.

"Have you told her about me?" the cat continued.

"Not yet."

"Don't ever! She might not understand."

"Look, when the time is right I am going to tell her everything, including all about you," he replied with a determined voice. "You have been and still are my friend. She will have to understand that you will continue being my friend in the future."

"Are you sure?"

"How many times have you told me that secrets are the quickest way to destroy a relationship? She will need to know everything about me."

"A bonnie thought boyo," Meredith said as she sat up and looked into the raccoon's eyes again. "But I don't want to destroy any chance of you finding happiness."

"I will never find happiness without you in my life," he said as he touched her cheek.

She was tempted to kiss him, but she restrained herself. Instead, she jumped off the bed and grabbed a sheet of paper and a pen from the desk. She wrote down her phone number and address, then turning she handed it to him.

"I didn't think you let anyone know your address?"

"You're no longer a client, but you're my friend."

"Huh, so does this mean I don't have to pay for tonight?" he snickered.

"Aye, you can discuss that with Jerry," she laughed. "Let me know how that turns out!"

Settling back onto his chest, she sighed contently. "So Jakie, tell me about this other women," she purred as his paw found her ear again.

An hour later, she returned to the corner and her pimp Jerry looked down at her. "You look glum," the snow leopard said. "Is Jake okay?"

"Aye, our raccoon has grown up," she sighed. "The laddie has gone off and found himself another woman."

"You should have married him," the pimp shrugged. "Are you going to be okay?"

"I'll survive," she mumbled as she walked off into the darkness. There were tears in her eyes as she pulled out her cell phone and made a phone call.

"Hello, Meredith?" the male voice answered. "I thought you were working tonight?"

"I am," she sighed. "I'm just a little lonely, Jake's found himself love."

"Good for him! That boy deserves it. Are you sure you're okay, do you want me to come get you?"

"No…no…YES! I can't keep doing this tonight, I need a break."

"I'm on my way darling," he said before he hung up.

She looked up and saw Jerry walking towards her. She tried to smile, but he cupped her chin and looked down into her eyes. "You need to go home," he said. "You're in no condition to keep working tonight, it's slow anyways. Take tomorrow night off too, it's going to rain."

She didn't answer, but wrapped her arms around his waist in a hug and his muscular arms returned her embrace. After he left her and returned to the street corner, she pulled her phone out again and looked at the photo of the guy she just called. He was older then her and handsome, with just a little light grey in his muzzle and in his still mostly black bandit's mask. "Oh, Johnnie!" she sighed as she touched the photo of the raccoon. "Maybe it's time I took you up on your offer boyo?"

* * *

 **You can find out more about who Meredith's mystery coon and his connection to Jake in** _ **Zootopia: A Raccoon's Redemption, Chapter 40: The Perfect Gift**_


	11. To Dream

**Chapter 11: To Dream**

* * *

 **Marie has an odd dream about her past and the future.**

* * *

Marie tossed and turned in her bed, she sighed as she dreamt of her first love. She was just a teenager, not even sixteen, and he was a skinny coyote who worked for her father during the harvest season. It was by all accounts no more than puppy love, but the sparks were there for more…much more. She laughed as he chased her through the meadow and catching her as he dragged her down into the late summer flowers, giggling as they kissed. Sammy was the true runt of the litter and he had a lot of his grandmother's blood in him, he was in many ways as much of a fox as he was a coyote.

Lying in the flowers, she ran her paws across his bare chest, the creamy fur that ran from his chin to below where his jeans were buttoned. His back was grey, like most of his species but with a reddish hue to it. His tongue licked her neck as his paws encircled her waist and pulled her roughly against him, she could feel his swelling against her thigh and they both were panting. His paws reached for her shirt buttons, but it was then that his sister found them. "Jeeze Sammy, I don't think you should rut the boss's daughter," she laughed. "Especially in the open where everyone can see you!" They sat up and realized the flowers were not that tall and several of the coyotes on ladders in the orchard were looking their way.

He blushed as he stood up and wiped himself off. A coyote on one of the ladder's called out. "Ho little cousin, at least you can help her up!" Sammy blushed even more as he offered her a paw and pulled her from the ground as one of the other workers made a crude remark about needing a cold shower. She looked at the tree line and then fled in her embarrassment to her room.

A few hours later, an elder pulled Sammy behind him to the house and called for her father. She could hear their conversation, about neither of them being of breeding age and that it was wrong of the young coyote to have taken advantage of her without her father's permission. Her father was quite adamant against her seeing the coyote again, at that time he was not a believer in mixed species relationships. She saw Sammy a few times after that, they stole a few kisses here and there when no one was looking and both were sure that they were in love, regardless of what the others thought.

Then Sammy left with his brother to deliver a shipment of produce and the large lorry rumbled down the dusty farm road to never return. That evening she learned about the accident and that both brothers were killed, she sobbed in her room as the sound of mournful howling filled the air. It was that night she also first had a strange dream. In it, Sammy came to her and held her paw, behind him were coyotes and she knew that they were generations that were yet to be born. "Remember us Adageyudi," he said before they faded away and in his place she saw a raccoon's black mask with gentle brown eyes that faded to a pale yellow.

She tossed and turned as her dream moved from the long past, to the brunch she just had with Jake. He laughed as she told him some lame joke, smiling he took her paw and lifted it to his lips. She giggled and blamed it on the mimosa she was drinking. They sat in the white gazebo that overlooked a garden full of flowers. Her eyes wandered to the table next to theirs and instead of the two hippos that she knew were sitting there she saw a coyote and a raccoon. Both mammals were wearing only loincloths and each had a long earring which was woven with beads and feathers dangling from one of their ears. She couldn't make out their ages because they looked both old and young at the same time. The coyote picked up his drink and with a gentle voice called out " _Adageyudi."_ She turned to face Jake who was still smiling at her and as she watched, his eyes turned from brown to pale yellow. She heard the raccoon at the other table call him, " _My Thief_."

With a gasp, she awoke from the dream. "No more cheap red wine before bed," she sighed to herself as she stared at the ceiling. _What the hell was all that about?_ She mused. _Was she falling in love with Jake? She had to be careful, she had been burned before._

Rolling over she thought of Lamar, the red panda from Little Amir. They had met at a sorority function and she was infatuated with his reddish orange mask. He took her out on several dates and she was sure that it was love, her father wouldn't approve because he wasn't a coon but that made Lamar more intriguing. Then he took her to a fraternity party and they drank too much, she found herself in his dorm bed as he stripped her naked. They kissed and made out, before he mounted her and took her virginity. There was only lust in his actions and after he finished, he just rolled over and passed out. She cried that night and for several nights afterwards when he didn't call her. Soon she realized that he had just used her, a conquest…another notch in his belt.

Her next lover, Stephen was not much better. He was working at one of the local bars and they met when she was in heat. The slightly older raccoon was much gentler in his lovemaking and made her feel special that winter. They laughed and drank late into the evenings and he made love to her almost every night. In the mornings they snuggled in the bed and talked about her future and his dreams of one day owning his own bar, she was in love with him and was sure that he was in love with her. Then she accidentally found out he was already married, with a wife and kits in a small farming town north of the Tri-burrows.

Dejected, she turned her back on all males, until that desperate tryst on the beach with a black wolf she called Michael. It was no more than a onetime rut, both taking out their pent up passion on each other. She was desperate for love and he was on the rebound, so they used each other.

Sighing, she rolled over and punched her pillow. _Why can't I find love? All three of my brothers have found mates._

 _So what do I really know about Jake?_ she thought to herself. _He's my age and a bit of a dunderhead._ She giggled at that thought, how a perfectly articulate male could go completely inarticulate with a swish of her tail. _Okay, so I kind of like doing that to him! He owns his own business and used to be a burglar, so should I trust him? Vivian likes him and said that he grew up raised by his father, his mother having died in childbirth. But, Jake doesn't talk too much about his childhood. His best friend is a fox named Nick who's a cop, talk about a paradox. On top of that Nick is married to a rabbit, Judy. Obviously Jake doesn't have any problems with interspecies relationships. He saved Mister Big, a wealthy businessmammal, from being killed by a rhino gang member by using just a shovel, so he can be dangerous. I wonder who else he's hurt?_

She sat up in her bed and yawned, knowing this wasn't getting her anywhere. She felt that she really didn't know that much about him. Lying back down, she curled up under the covers and was in that not awake and not yet asleep twilight world when her ears twitched because she heard a voice, no the voice of the ageless raccoon from her dream whisper, " _So ask him Adageyudi_." After that she slept peacefully.

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

 **In my stories I roughly model the coyotes on the Indigenous Peoples or sometimes called Native Americans. They were in the way of "progress" and so villainized, exploited, and finally either physically exterminated or removed all in the name of "Manifest Destiny." Today, they still face discrimination and marginalization of their culture (watch Peter Pan). It is not my intentions to marginalize their many cultures in my stories, but I do draw upon them for inspiration much like I draw on the Celtic nations for my inspiration for both Meredith and Marie.**

 _ **Adageyudi**_ **is a Cherokee word for Beloved or Beloved Woman. For more of why Marie would be considered so by the coyotes, read** _ **Zootopia: A Raccoon's Redemption**_ **and about her being the co-founder of the Coyote Cultural Center. It will also give you a better understanding of the mystical origins of the coyote and raccoon in Marie's dream.**


	12. The Truth Hurts

**Chapter 12: The Truth Hurts**

* * *

 **Marie asks a question that Jake fears to answer and will his honesty end their relationship?**

* * *

"Jake can I ask ya'll something?" Marie said as they rode through the Rainforest District on a gondola, the sun was shining above and the sprinklers when they went off made shimmering rainbows. The raccoon was holding her paw as they leaned on the side of the otherwise empty car looking out over the jungle below. Boats chugged their way along the muddy green river and vehicles of all sorts wound along the roadway which clung to the sides of the large trees.

"What do you want to know my dear," Jake chuckled and with grandiose flourish, he bowed to her as he replied, "My life is an open book to you."

"Why did ya'll stop being a burglar?" she asked as she looked back at him, a light yellow raincoat partly covered his baby blue sport shirt and a pair of dark blue cotton pants. She had laughed when he came by her apartment earlier that day, because she was wearing a light blue raincoat over her light yellow blouse and jeans, it was almost like they had purposely dressed in opposite colors from each other.

"That is simple, I hated being in jail," the male raccoon answered with a shrug. "To be honest I never really liked being a burglar, but it kept me from starving to death. Also I am fascinated in security alarms and systems, trying to beat them are like figuring out a very complex puzzle. I was more driven by the challenge then the actual rewards."

"Did you ever rob anyone and felt sorry afterwards?" she continued. His paw released hers as he stepped back further into the cable car and sat down. She noticed sadness in his eyes and venerability she had never seen before.

"Yeah, lots of times. Early on when I was working with two guys, Wessley and Joey, we broke into some businesses and homes that we really shouldn't have and cleaned them out. I knew it was wrong. When I branched out and starting doing my own thing, I selected only the mansions or businesses of those who were ruthless or dishonest to rob and even then I didn't take everything."

"Did you ever hurt anyone?" she asked as she sat beside him and took his muzzle in her paws to peer into his eyes.

"You're not going to like my answer," he sighed again as he looked away from meeting her eyes.

"The truth, I've got to know what kind of mammal you are if we are to continue in this relationship."

"I've been in a few fights, barroom scuffles and that sort. Also I've been attacked and had to fight, even hurt others to survive." Then suddenly he stood up and paced across the floor, hesitating momentary before turning to her and shaking his head. "You know about Ronnie Charger, the rhino." She nodded because he had told her that when he explained why he lived in the Regency Hotel.

Jake stopped again and walked over the edge of the gondola again, he looked off into the distance. "I've never killed anyone, but…" he muttered. Her ears perked up when he said that and she stood facing him, he was handsome in the afternoon sunlight. "Remember a while back when that mad priest took over those school buses full of children?" she nodded before he continued. "He was the leader of that religious cult that brutally and ritually murdered those three raccoons, you know the ones that all those jackals were tried and convicted of killing recently."

"Of course that was big headlines."

"Two of those raccoons that they killed were friends of mine and I was involved in the investigation on a civilian advisory role. What you don't know is that they also kitnapped me, but you won't see that in the news."

She was shocked, but knew she shouldn't ask him why he didn't bring kitnapping charges against the jackals. "They never caught him, did they?" she asked instead. Suddenly she hated where this seemed to be going and she even feared the answer.

"And they never will," he replied. She saw tears in his eyes as he looked at her and then out at the skyline. "I didn't kill him, but I could have saved him," he finally choked out. "He died because I chose not to do so. I walked away and left him to die because I wanted revenge!"

She gasped and turned away for a few moments.

"I'm sorry that it happened," he sighed. "I'm sorry I told you about it and I can understand why you now would want to never see me again."

"Why?" she asked. "How?"

"He was taken by some of my less savory friends to Tundratown. I had the priest placed on a platform in the middle of a large pond which was only thinly iced over. I was able to walk on the ice, but being a red deer he was much too heavy. I only intended to leave him out there as punishment until I called the police, but my anger overcame me. There was a special stone that he was killing everyone for and I had that stone. He claimed it had the mystical powers to call upon his god to purge the world in flames. I threw the stone out onto the ice, just out of his reach, but I really didn't think he would try to grab it. I just wanted him to suffer by having it just beyond his touch, but instead he stepped off the platform yelling his god would save him and punish us all as the ice broke, he drowned."

They were quiet for a while after that, she watched as he wiped his eyes on his shirt sleeve.

"Jake would you have done it again, if ya'll knew he would do that?" she asked in a meek tone, her eyes sought out his again.

"No and I hate myself for doing what I did in the first place," he cried out and slammed his fist angrily against the metal. She ran to him and held him in her arms.

"Can you forgive me for who I am?" he finally asked.

"It's not my place to forgive you," she sighed. "Ya'll need to forgive yourself."

They sat back down and held paws for the remainder of the ride and just before they disembarked, she turned and kissed him on his cheek. "Thank you," she whispered.

"Are we finished?" he asked her as they got off the gondola. "I mean, should I call a car to come take you home? I'll understand if you never want to see me again."

"No I'll stay, now that I understand what kind of guy you are," she said as she took his paw again and pulled him down the trail towards the gardens beyond.

"What kind of guy am I?" he asked in confusion.

"One who loves his friends deeply," she replied. She turned to him and passionately kissed him, sighing as his arms enfolded her. She now knew the raccoon wasn't perfect, but who was? At least she also knew he was honest.

They spent the afternoon walking and kissing in the park and after a while, Jake was back to telling her lame jokes again and smiling. They found a traditional tea house and while they enjoyed their afternoon refreshments, he told her more about his life. He told her about Sonya, a red panda that he once thought he was in love with and she in turn told him the entire story about being used by Lamar. Finally he told her about Grandfather, Sonya's real grandfather who became his mentor during his collage years. She found the stories about the aged red panda intriguing and some even entertaining.

When he finished, she looked at him, reached over and bopped him on the nose. "Why Mister Runnel, you are a lil' old coward." She giggled.

"What do you mean?"

"You ran away from me when you were embarrassed that night at the bar. You ran away from Sonya and her grandfather after your father's death. Are you going to run away from me again if things get tough?"

"I think I've stopped running," he answered as he smiled at her.

"Good then when you're ready, ya'll need to go see Sonya and make things right again!" Marie firmly stated.

"You're right," he sighed. Then he stepped away slightly, he gave her a mischievous smile. "But I am not finished all my running, because I'll give you a ten second head start before I run after you and cover you with kisses!"

"Oh my!" she giggled and took off running. He was right behind her and they laughed as she weaved and dodged his embrace. Finally he caught her and they fell onto the grass with him on top of her. His mouth devoured hers in a passionate kiss as he held her down. She could feel his arousal pressing against her thigh and she ached for him.

"Come on you two!" a voice called from across the green. "Get a room for crying out loud."

She blushed as he laughed and released her before helping her to her feet. "Sorry about that!" he called back to the mouse who was on the trail. He put his arm over her shoulder as they walked back towards the gondolas.

She wrapped her arm around his waist as they strolled, all the time she was trying not to stare at the bulge in his pants. After walking a ways down the path and to a more secluded spot, he gently pushed her against a tree and they kissed again. He pushed his body closer to hers and started grinding himself against her, her body responded by pulling him closer. Suddenly he realized what he was doing and pulled back. "Sorry!" he stammered as he stepped back.

"Yeah," she panted. "Look it's too soon for that. I want to get to know you better."

"Agreed!" he gasped. "I guess we need take our time."

That night after she slipped into bed, she dreamt only of Jake and she awoke aching for him. She imagined the taste of his mouth and feel of his grinding into her again. Blushing, she slipped her paw underneath her pajama bottoms again and her digit found her sweet spot. Her groans and gasps awoke her roommate in the next room. The skunk sat up and after listening to the raccoon, she buried her head under her pillows and grumbled, "She really needs to get laid."


	13. I Love You

**Chapter 13: I Love You**

* * *

 **Jake takes Marie on a beach trip with Nick and Judy. The two girls get to know each other better as the raccoon and fox go fishing in the bay. (This chapter corresponds with** _ **Zooptopia: A Raccoon's Redemption, Chapter 10: A Raccoon and a Fox Go Fishing**_ **for the guy's side of the story** **.)**

* * *

 _Why did she ever listen to the skunk?_ She sighed as she pulled the robe tighter before stepping out of the changing room. Judy was waiting and the rabbit had on a simple blue one piece swimsuit that showed off her muscular curves and frankly made her even cuter.

"Hey Carrots!" Nick yelled over to his wife, "Are you two coming? Jake's down on the beach already renting you an umbrella and then he and I have got some fishing to do!" The fox was dressed in a pair of cargo shorts and his favorite tacky green tropical shirt.

"Come on Marie!" the rabbit laughed. "Those two are bursting at the seams. All they have talked about this week is catching the big one." She emphasized her last two words with by making air quotes with her paws.

The raccoon trudged after the rabbit as they made their way across the sand towards the male raccoon, who was standing next to a large dark blue beach umbrella with four chairs and what appeared to be a table with a white box on it. She looked the raccoon over, he was only wearing a pair of knee length turquoise swim trunks and having removed his tee shirt, he stood there bare chested. Her eyes devoured his body, his trim muscular frame along his stylish cropped black and grey fur with its brownish under tones. He had a pair of sunglasses on and grinned as he turned to face her. _By the Great Lamb!_ She mused. _He is a stud!_

"Ta da!" he announced to the group as he spread his arms. "Welcome to paradise!"

"You over did it again Jake!" the rabbit tusked as she peeked into the white box, which turned out to be a miniature refrigerator.

"What?" the raccoon protested. "I just want the two of you to be comfortable while your husband and I go off and sail the seven seas."

"We're just going fishing in the bay for four hours!" Nick sighed.

"I just got a few comforts," Jake replied. "After all the afternoon sun is hot!"

Marie giggled at the look he gave her. He had lowered his sunglasses to the end of his muzzle and was wiggling his eyebrows. "A minibar?" she laughed. "Really Sugar, don't ya'll think that's a tad too much!"

"Why not?" he replied as he sat down on a chair and leaned over with a grin. "Now, am I going to finally see this bathing suit that Karen has been bragging about?"

Her ears blushed as she slowly opened the robe and pulled it off. Underneath she wore a cherry red one piece suit with laces that crisscrossed her exposed sides and back.

Jake didn't say a thing but stared at her with his muzzle slightly opened as his paw reached over and pulled a towel into his lap covering his obvious discomfort.

"Damn," the fox muttered, he too looked at her with his mouth hanging open. "Jeeze Carrots, you need to go shopping with Marie and Karen too!"

She blushed even more as she reached for her robe and only stopped when Jake mumbled out, "N...no don't! You look gorgeous in that suit and I really like it a lot!"

"Come on lover, quit staring at the pretty lady!" the fox chuckled. "We've got a boat to catch."

Jake shifted with his back to her as he stood up and the fox rolled his eyes after looking down at his friend's waist. "Wave goodbye Jake and let's go!" he laughed. Then turning to Marie, the fox grinned as he added, "Dunderhead will kiss you when he gets back."

Marie started to giggle when Jake half turned and waved before grabbing the towel to cover the fact that his swim shorts had a big budge in them. She watched as the raccoon uncomfortably ambled off after the fox towards the pier.

"He really likes you," Judy said as she settled down into a chair and looked up at Marie. She had put on a pair of cheap sunglasses that matched her husband's favorite brand, they were the kind nicknamed "fuzzbans" because they were silver mirrored. When you looked at them, all you saw was your own refection and that was very distracting, which was exactly why they were popular with the police officers.

"I know," she replied as she sat down and put on her own sunglasses, which had brown lens and matching cherry red frames. "I like him too."

"It's been several months now," the rabbit continued in an almost police "good cop" manner. "I take it from his reaction that you two haven't…you know?"

"Officer Hopps, why the interrogation?" the raccoon huffed. She was starting to get a little annoyed at the rabbit's attitude. She had only met her once before, a while back in the square.

Judy sat up and took off her glasses, her amethyst eyes showed concern as they locked onto the raccoon's. "Look it's just that Jake is a very dear friend and I worry about him getting hurt, I know I shouldn't pry into your lives, but you need to let him know your intentions. He's a lot more emotionally venerable then he acts."

Marie knew that already, she remembered their discussion in the gondola when they rode it to the park in the Rainforest District. He told her about the priest's death, his anger and remorse with himself for not saving that evil mammal.

"I promise not to hurt him, it's just I'm not so sure how I really feel about him?" she sighed. She was lying to the rabbit because she knew exactly how she felt about Jake and she was in love with him. However, she was unsure if he felt the same way. It was as if they both tried their best to skirt around saying it, waiting for the other one to be first. She was scared to tell him, because she was afraid that he might not be in love with her.

Judy sat back in her chair with a small smile, she was a cop and an expert at interrogations so she knew the raccoon was lying to her. Changing the subject she asked, "So where did you find that swimsuit and does it come in my size in the color purple?"

They spent the afternoon talking about their careers, shopping, and about males in general, after it became very clear that Jake wasn't the only male that liked Marie's suit.

After running off a cute dingo who looked to be just out of his teens and didn't seem to understand that no really meant NO, Judy pulled out a couple of waters from the minifridge and tossed one to Marie. "You've got to love that boy's enthusiasm," she laughed. "But his pickup line sucked."

"Hey babe, so what's grey, black, and brown?" Judy huffed out in a faux male voice. "Me on top of you!"

"Your reply was classic though," the raccoon laughed. "What's grey, brown, and red? My fist as it punches you in the muzzle."

"That's the drawback of your bathing suit. Every time you come back from a swim, you have some male following."

"Oh and who had that sexy looking buck come running down the beach to meet her? I saw that poor rabbit's ears droop when he saw ya'lls wedding ring."

"Then he asked me if you were married too!" Judy chuckled.

"Well he didn't come over here, in fact he up and ran like greased lightning the other way," Marie replied.

"I told him you were married and had eight kits at home," the rabbit laughed.

* * *

When Nick Wilde and Jake Runnel go fishing, what could go wrong you ask? Plenty! First Jake had never been on a boat before and got seasick soon after they left the harbor. But he soldiered on and he puked out everything he had eaten that day, along with some of what he ate last night. When they reached the fishing grounds, Nick caught the "big one" only to have it devoured by a bigger shark. Finally they were saved from the still hungry shark by a pod of orcas with the Harbor Patrol. But the two friends finally caught some decent sized fish for their dinner before they sailed back to port.

The crusty old skipper of their fishing boat had recommended they cook their filets in the seaside park and after purchasing the necessary supplies, the fox and raccoon dragged, with much effort and with great complaining by the raccoon, a newly acquired cooler full of supplies into the park and over to a grill.

"I'm going to go get the girls and you can start the fire," Nick said.

"Hey, you're the chief tonight bro," protested the raccoon. "I'll get the girls and you start the fire."

"No, you'll see Marie in her bathing suit and forget all about food," replied the fox as he began walking toward the beach.

"I hate it when he's right!" Jake mumbled to himself. He wadded up some paper, poured the charcoal on top, and then he realized what they had forgotten.

A few minutes later Nick returned with Judy and Marie. Puzzled, he asked the raccoon, "Why didn't you start the fire?"

"We forgot the matches," laughed Jake. "I tried rubbing two sticks together and that didn't work." The raccoon was disappointed that Marie had her robe back on and only giggled when he begged her to take it off.

After a quick jog to the shop, Nick returned with some matches and they lit the fire. The fox laid out the ingredients for their meal. He sliced some cucumbers for an appetizer and opened a bottle of chilled wine. He then made three packets with the fish, sliced zucchini, diced peppers, and some of beans. The forth packet had had everything but the fish and extra beans. He sprinkled the seasoning and oil over the food, just like the shopkeeper had instructed before he placed the packets on the grill.

Their dinners were phenomenal, the fish and veggies were cooked just right. They ate some creamy and crunchy coleslaw on the side, and had some crunchy bread to sop up the juices. After cleaning up and putting out their fire, Jake and Nick carried the now almost empty cooler to the beach while Judy and Marie laid down the blankets just as the sun was beginning to set. Jake opened the pink Champagne and poured everyone a glass

Jake had scooted behind Marie so she could lean back against him as they watched the moon rising over the water, its yellow refection simmering almost magically across the waves. His arms encompassed her as she pressed herself back into his embrace, blushing as she felt him hardening against her back. He didn't move or say anything but sat perfectly still as they sipped their pink Champagne.

Nick whispered into his wife's ear, "I think those two could use some alone time, Carrots." He took her paw and they strolled down the beach into the darkness.

"Sugar, I had a great time today," Marie said as she kissed Jake's cheek. "But between the price of the charter boat and the groceries, it must have cost you a fortune. You know you don't have to spend money to impress me."

Jake shrugged and replied, "What good is money, if you don't spend it on the ones you love?" Then realizing what he said, he tensed up.

"Are you saying that you love me?" Marie asked in a soft hesitant voice.

Jake sat up straight and looked her in her eyes before he answered, "Yes I do! I think I do love you, Marie."

She took his cheek fur in her paws and whispered, "I think I love you too!"

The two raccoons shared a passionate kiss and then another. She lay sprawled on top of the blanket as his mouth devoured hers, each kiss turning wilder from their pent up passions. His paws moved under her robe and behind her back. He pulled himself on top of her, she could feel him throbbing as he pressed into her thigh. One of his paws slipped down under the back of her swim suit and cupped her rear next to her tail. She gave a little moan as his other paw moved towards her chest. "No!" she groaned. "Not here, your friends are just down the beach."

He shook himself and let out a small growl, "Your place or mine?"

She sighed as he pulled his paws from her body and rolled off of her. Even in the relative darkness, she could see the tenting of his shorts. "Neither," she said in frustration. "My brother Johnny and his family are arriving in the early morning for a week's vacation. I don't think having you in my bedroom would be a great way to meet my family, they are a bit conservative about mating traditions."

"Shit!" he grumbled. "Well then how about another kiss to tide me over?"

"Just a kiss Sugar, but keep those paws to yourself," she giggled.

* * *

 **The story about Jake and Nick's complete fishing trip can be found in** _ **Zooptopia: A Raccoon's Redemption, Chapter 10: A Raccoon and a Fox Go Fishing.**_ **It's worth reading!**


	14. The Mugging

**Chapter 14: The Mugging**

 **Things are moving along with Jake and Marie's relationship until one night they are attacked.**

* * *

"I swear Nick, I think the gods themselves are trying to keep us from ever making love!" the raccoon snapped as he paced back and forth in the police station's gym. "It's a celestial conspiracy of the highest order."

"Don't... you...think...you're...over... reacting… pal?" the red fox in the ZPD tee shirt and gym shorts huffed out as he did pull ups.

The raccoon in the blue pinstriped suit sighed in frustration, "We get close and then something always happens. Her parents call, the fire alarm goes off, a bunch of scouts come hiking along…"

"Wait! What! Scout's did what!" Nick asked as he dropped to the ground.

"We went hiking in the woods and there was a secluded spot down by a waterfall. I put a blanket down and we were making out, I mean really getting into it! I had my paws up her shirt and she was unbuckling my pants, then suddenly we heard a commotion from above and there were over a dozen Junior Ranger Scouts staring at us," Jake answered. "The things that came out of their mouths, who knew fifteen and sixteen year olds could be that crass?"

"When was the last time you've been in a high school?" the fox laughed.

The raccoon shuddered at the question. "Try being the class nerd?" he replied. "The brains in a class full of brawn. Do you know what it's like being bullied as a kit?"

"Yeah, fox here!" Nick replied. "Being pushed around pretty well comes with the species."

"Heh, I forgot about that," the raccoon shrugged.

"It must have sucked," Wolford called out from the weight machine.

"No one bullies wolves?" Jake asked.

"You pick on one wolf, you answer to the pack," the timber wolf called back.

"Must be nice!" Nick said.

"I'm still mad at you Wolford!" the raccoon yelled to the wolf.

"What did he do?" the fox asked as he began to wrap his paws with tape.

"I should have told you about that, I talked Marie into driving up to the Point a couple of nights ago," the raccoon replied. "We even rented a nice sports car for her to drive, since I never got a driver's license and after we had a light dinner at a cafe, we went parking."

"Parking, like the teens do?" Nick snickered as he began to hit the punching bag.

"It was childish, but neither one of us had ever done that before," Jake shrugged. "So we're necking, getting into the grove, the music was playing and then I started making my move."

"Juvenile," the fox grunted as he pounded the bag with his fists. "That is just juvenile coon."

"I thought it was romantic!" the raccoon huffed. "Anyways suddenly there's a commotion and next thing I know a white tailed deer buck has slammed face first into the passenger's window. Marie is screaming! I'm screaming! Then Wolford's ugly muzzle is peering in at us from the driver's window asking if we're okay."

"Marie has very nice legs," the wolf snickered.

"Not helping!" the raccoon yelled.

"Wait, what happened?" the fox asked.

"The K-9 unit tracked down a drug dealer who was working the Point," Wolford replied. "The deer ran into his car."

"By the time we got back and finished arguing with the rental company over the damages, the night was ruined," Jake grumbled.

Nick laughed.

"Then there was last night. I swung by her place for a movie and we we're all comfortable on the sofa with some nice red wine and a bowl of popcorn. The movie was this sappy chick flick that she wanted to see, so she's snuggled back against me and I've…"

"What was the movie?" Wolford interjected.

"I don't remember!" Jake yelled back. "It was an old movie about being sleepless somewhere."

"My wife likes that movie!" the wolf exclaimed.

"Does it matter?" the raccoon growled.

"Jake, tell me what happened," Nick chuckled.

"So she's snuggled against me…" the raccoon continued.

"Hey is that the movie with Tom whats-his-name?" the wolf called from the weight room.

"Shut it Chompers!" Jake yelled back.

"Ignore Wolfie and get to the point," the fox groaned.

"So she's snuggled in my arms and I reach down and started unbuttoning her blouse," the raccoon said. "Then her roommate charges in the front door all excited about some damn promotion she just got and wanting to go out to celebrate."

"So you two went out with her," Nick laughed.

"Like I said, it's a conspiracy!" the raccoon sighed.

* * *

The midwinter night started really nice, it was a crisp but beautiful night in downtown Zootopia and Jake held Marie's paw as they walked in the park. "I told ya'll that Mama Mia was going to be a great play," she said as she laid her head against his shoulder.

"Heh, no one can accuse me of being a theater expert," he laughed. "That was the first time that I ever went to a play."

He pulled her closer as they came near the fountain and wrapping his arms around her waist, they kissed. "Aw, don't let me ruin the lover's night out!" a laugh came from behind them as a brutal looking black bear and a greasy weasel stepped out of the shadows. "Just hand over her purse, along with your wallet and everyone will be fine.

Jake turned and faced the two muggers, shoving Marie behind him. He was torn on what to do, he did have a can of mace on him, along with a telescoping taser baton, but he was afraid that they might hurt Marie. "Look mammal I don't want any problems," he smiled as he took out his wallet and tossed it over to the weasel. "There's plenty in there for you, so let the lady keep her purse."

"Look ringtail," the bear growled. "I said both!"

The weasel was rummaging through Jake's wallet, when suddenly he stopped and looked back at the raccoon. "Harry don't!" he snapped. "That's Jake Runnel!"

"So what?" the bear snarled down at his partner, who had dropped the wallet.

"Runnel…as in Big's pet coon!" his now panicked partner whined. "You know, the Northern Mafia!"

A look of fear came over the large brute's face as he backed away. "Sorry Mr. Runnel, I didn't know that it was you!" he cried out in fear. "Here's you wallet back, just don't kill us!"

Jake stepped forward with his paws in his pocket, "If you get the hell out of my park, I'll let you go," he growled. The two muggers turned tail and ran. After he picked up his wallet, he turned around with a smug smile, but when he faced Marie he froze at the look she was giving him.

"What?" he asked.

"Big's coon…Northern Mafia?" she asked. "You forgot to tell me you're a mobster? My life's an open book ya'll told me!"

"I'm not with the mob!" he protested. He stepped towards her, but she stepped backwards.

"I'm not sure I should believe you?" she choked out as she began to cry. "Why are you keeping this from me?"

He sat down on the side of the fountain. "I love you Marie," he said. "But I'm not being fair to you. You once said I was a coward and your right, I'm afraid that if I told you the whole ugly truth about myself you would leave me."

"Maybe I should," she cried. "I thought I loved you, but now I'm not so sure." She turned to walk away.

"Wait!" he cried out in anguish. "Please give me another chance! I'll tell you everything."

"Everything?" she asked.

"The whole damn story of my life," he sighed. "Then you can decide if I'm even worth saying good bye to."

She followed him back to the Regency Hotel and into a secluded area of the lobby where they sat down in a couple of overstuff chairs. "Would you like some wine?" he asked. "Maybe something to drink?"

"Stop trying to change the subject Jake," she growled. "I want the whole truth about your life."

"I do owe you that don't I?" he sighed.


	15. The Bitter Truth

**Chapter 15: The Bitter Truth**

 **Jake spills his entire life story to Marie.**

* * *

"I told you about my parents," he started. "That I barely survived and that both my mother and my littermate died during childbirth. Am I still bitter about the fact that if my mother had been allowed inside a real hospital, instead of an understaffed and ill-equipped clinic in Happy Town, that they both probably would have lived? The answer is hell yes! Zootopia wasn't like Warrenton, our kind were not welcome in prey facilities back then. They called it being separate but equal, but it was never equal and in some ways it still isn't."

The raccoon pushed himself further into the plush fabric of the chair before continuing, "My pop tried his best to raise me as well as any single father could and he worked double shifts when he was allowed to do so for the money, but the city's sanitation department was always short in its budget. He brought home broken items, such as toasters and televisions that he salvaged from the trash and repaired them, selling them to the pawn shops for extra cash just to make ends meet. I was in college when he was killed by a drunken driver, by a rich judge's wife. She just kept going and didn't even stop as she left pop dying on the side of the street, but I guess he just another damn pred that didn't count. We found that out quick enough when they caught her, the judge slapped her with a lame fine and some community service. As for me, well they screwed me good because the city left me with having to pay the larger balance of the hospital bills and all the funeral costs. They even yanked his pension since I was over eighteen, so I could not pull from what he was due."

Marie leaned forward as her paw started to reach out to him, but then she sat back and sighed as he went on. "I was broke, so I had to drop out of school and tried to find a job. You would have thought after all those years of collage I should have been at least eligible for an entry tech job, but no one would trust a coon. Anyways, I found myself falling more and more behind, pawning what little we owned to pay the medical bills. Finally I found myself homeless and on the streets, but in some ways I was fortunate that I ended up in a flop house on River Street. By this time I was so angry and ashamed that I turned my back on Sonya, her grandfather, and everyone I knew. You've never known what's like to go hungry for days and to share a broken down bed, shivering in an unheated room. I spent days digging in the trash for scraps of food and working backbreaking jobs for just a pawful of cash."

"Then some of my old pals came to me with an offer, you see I used to work for a locksmith and I had interest in alarm systems along with locks and safes. I was a natural burglar and so I put those talents to work stealing from others. But as the money came in I realized it wasn't the stealing that I was thriving on, but it was the excitement of the challenge. Soon I had enough money to afford my own cheap room, regular meals, and even had some left over to have fun with. But I was lonely, I had my questionable associates who I knew were using me, but no one else and so I turned to the street ladies…prostitutes," he sighed and watched as a group of businessmammals passed by their little corner.

He looked everywhere but into her eyes and she didn't stop him. "I learned a lot from the ladies, especially a wildcat named Meredith. She taught me how to pleasure a female, but more importantly she taught me that I wasn't worthless and helped me rebuild my confidence. We spent more time talking then we did having sex, she became my friend and still is today."

"Do you still see her?" Marie asked.

"Yes, but only to talk," he replied. "We haven't made love since I told her about you."

The female raccoon gave him a skeptical look, which he ignored. He looked down at the carpet and continued, "Meredith wasn't the only friend I made down on River Street and I became part of the community. For me, that street is more my home then Happy Town ever was or even here. It's a place where I am welcomed and accepted, even loved and not judged. I was happy, but once again fate kicked everything out from under me. The more successful I became, the more the mob wanted me to join their ranks and I refused."

"Did Mr. Big make you an offer?" she asked. "Is that when you joined his mob."

"He made an offer and I refused," Jake replied. "So did Catpone's guys and Salazar."

"Why?" Marie asked.

"I wanted to be independent," he shrugged, but then his shoulders slumped. "That's not true, it was because I knew what I was doing was wrong no matter how much I justified my actions. That was my undoing because my pals set me up to get caught by the cops and I went to jail. It was in jail when I realized there was no future for my life in crime. Jimmy Ratzoilli was my cellmate for most of the time and he talked me into going straight, to start my life anew. He is twice my age and with after all those years in crime, he had nothing to show for it."

She thought he was done because he stared over at the hotel's front door. _He looks so venerable, just like a kit waiting on his parent to come get him and take him home,_ she thought. _He says River Street is home, but he's still lost and still searching._

Suddenly he continued, "Yeah, I got out early and was determined not to go back to being a burglar, but I was now a coon with a record. I was living proof that what others think of us isn't just a stereotype, but still I tried to change. I was wandering, both physically and spiritually, and then I stumbled across an assassination attempt on Mr. Big. You know the story about my bringing down Ronnie Charger, the rhino. What I didn't tell you was that Mr. Big is the Godfather of one of the city's most powerful mafia gangs."

"That's when you joined his gang," she accused him.

"No, I turned him down again," Jake replied. "But he paid me for my day's service with a nice bonus and then he got me an attorney, found me this place to live in, and encouraged me to start my business. At first I thought he was setting me up, but he wasn't and gradually he became a friend. In many ways he's like a mentor, someone I can talk to about mostly anything. We've always kept his business free from mine, taking care to avoid each other professionally. I've made other friends in his gang, some who dangerous, but I soon got to understand that there is more to the mob then just criminals. They are more like a family and Mr. Big takes care of those who work for him, but he also takes care of the community. They call him the Guardian of the North and he has some kind of royal blood, I don't really understand how that works."

He stopped and stared at the ceiling with a forlorn look. _He's stalling,_ she thought. _Why is he stalling?_

"Did you know there are no homeless in Tundratown?" He suddenly asked, she shook her head no and he smiled at her. "Most of the charities survive on Family money. Tundratown Hospital is the second most advanced healthcare facility in the city and there is very little serious crime on that side of the wall."

"So why haven't you joined?" she asked.

"Simple I like doing what I do now better than what I did before," he replied with a grin. "So here you sit with a sinner, a guy trying to find his way back into the world. I've got friends on both sides of the law and sometimes walk the fine line between. As for going back to being a crook, I know Nick wouldn't stand for that and I doubt Mr. Big would either."

"You think it's that simple," she huffed.

"It never is Marie," he replied with a frown. "My life is a breeze compared to some mammals I know, that's why I believe in giving those who work for me second chances. Jimmy, Jerry, and Tails all are reformed cons, so are a lot of my other employees."

"So that's it, everything?" she sat back and searched his eyes.

"No, there's more," he answered. "Twice in my life I thought I was in love. The first was my college friend Sonya, but she didn't love me the way I thought I loved her."

"You told me about her," Marie replied.

"The second was with a cape jackal named Melinda Velt, I met her during the Winter Carnival in Tudratown and she was an insurance investigator who knew about me and my past. They called her Diamonds because she used to recover smuggled blood diamonds from her homeland and give the reward money to the refugees."

"She sounds like Robin Hood," the raccoon scoffed, Jake heard a hint of jealousy in her voice.

"She was no hero, but we did have a grand time together," he sighed. "In the end, we knew we couldn't give each other what we really wanted and now she's returned to her homeland."

"What was it she couldn't give you?" Marie asked.

"A family," Jake sighed. "My best friend is a fox married to a rabbit and they love each other deeply, but they will never have children. They tried a few times to adopt, but that didn't work out because there is still that underlining bigotry that exists within our society. Did you know that they still push abortions over adoptions for predators at those so called family planning centers? Abortions over adoptions!"

She didn't reply, that would be a difference of opinion between them.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to go off that way, but Nick and Judy never got far enough with their attempts to adopt. Hell, Nick was even politely told that they didn't trust him with anything but a fox kit. I don't want to live my life like that, I want my own children."

"So how big of a family do you want?" Marie asked out of curiosity.

"Judy once told me that she comes from a family of over two hundred siblings," he replied with a huge grin.

"You don't need a mate, you need a harem of raccoons for that," Marie scoffed.

"I would really like at least two kits, everyone should have a brother or sister," Jake said as he shook his head. "I wish I did."

"Is that everything?" she asked.

"Can you forgive me?" he replied as he nodded. His eyes desperately search hers.

"I'm going to have to think about it Jake," she sighed and stood up. He too stood and began to reach for her, but he let his paw fall to his side and nodded.

"Good night Jake," she said as she turned and with tears in her eyes, she walked out of the hotel.

Across the room, the night shift had begun and a young black bear took her place behind the reception desk. She looked over at her favorite raccoon and saw there were tears streaming down his face as he turned and slowly walked towards the elevator. She fumbled for her phone and called a phone number that she was given back when the police were looking for Jake as a kitnapping witness. "Officer Wilde? This is Trisha at the Regency…it's Jake, he needs your company…I think he just broke up with his girlfriend."


	16. He's My Best Friend

**Chapter 16: He's My Best Friend**

 **A fox intervenes in his best friend's life.**

* * *

After the red fox had received the call from Trisha over at the Regency Hotel, Nick didn't go to Jake's place after he got off of work. Instead he found himself standing in front of Marie's apartment still in his police uniform and with a sigh he rang the doorbell.

There was a rattling of a chain followed by the door being cracked open as a cute female skunk peeked from behind the door. "How may I help you officer?" she asked.

"I would like to speak to Marie, my name is Nick Wilde," the fox replied. "Is she available?"

The door closed and he could hear voices, then there was the rattling of the chain again and the door was opened by an attractive female raccoon. Her eyes were puffy and there were tear streaks matting her fur. "He lied to me!" she stated.

"No, he just didn't tell you everything that he should have," the fox sighed as he slipped his uniform winter coat off and draped it over his arm. "May we talk?"

The raccoon nodded as she stepped back into the apartment's den and motioned for him to take a seat. The skunk had retreated to her room and shut the door.

"Look Marie, Jake is a child of the streets," the fox began after he had hung his coat by the door and sat down on a chair. "It's hard for us to be open about things with others, we learn early to suppress our emotions and bury them deep within ourselves in order not to get hurt. It becomes second nature because after what we've been through it difficult to open up to even those we trust. For years it drove Judy nuts and I didn't mean to treat her that way, heck I didn't even know I was doing it."

"So are you saying that there is more that he didn't tell me?" she sniffled.

"I'm not sure what he's already told you," Nick continued. "But let me tell you what I know about him. I know he's never passed a beggar on the street who needed help without giving something, often too much. That he sometimes sneaks into the old church a few blocks from the hotel just to leave money in the poor box and tries not to get caught doing it. He is also very insecure and hates being all by himself, which I can understand having been left alone as a child for long periods of time too because I had a single parent just like Jake did. Jake also has a tendency to be over generous with his friends, almost as if he thinks he has to buy their friendship. I'm sure that's because when he lived on River Street and he really used to have to buy time with his first real friends. He believes in second chances, most of his employees were once criminals who have gone straight and I've seen him go face to face with the Chief of Detectives to defend them."

"But what about Mr. Big, why didn't he tell me about the mafia?" the raccoon cried.

"So Mr. Big is a friend of his?" Nick replied. "He's really not a bad guy, did Jake tell you that Judy is good friends with Mr. Big's daughter Fru Fru and godmother to his granddaughter little Judy?"

She shook her head no.

"Mr. Big is more complicated than just another mobster," Nick said as he leaned over. "He's twice forgiven me and I betrayed him. Those two never cross paths professionally, but in some ways Jake looks at the shrew almost as a surrogate father and I know the Mr. Big considers him almost like a son. So life is complicated in the big city, we all know that."

"How did you know that Jake and I had a fight?" the raccoon skeptically asked the fox. "Did Jake ask you to come here and talk to me?"

"He doesn't even know I'm here," Nick answered. "Look, there are a lot of folks who care deeply for Jake, you two were seen having a fight at the hotel and someone concerned called me. Instead of going to console my best friend, I came here to see you. "

"Why?" she sniffled.

"Because he loves you!" Nick answered. "He loves you deeply and I don't want him to blow the only chance he has for finding happiness because he's just being…well, being Jake!"

She stared at the floor, but didn't reply. After years of being a con artist, Nick could easily read other's emotions and he could tell that she was torn with uncertainty about where to go after this.

"Marie, look at me!" he sigh. "Please tell me the truth…do you love Jake?"

She looked up at him with tears streaming down her muzzle and nodded. Then a voice spoke out from behind them and Nick could see the skunk was standing in her room's doorway. "So girl if you love him, why are you just sitting here? Now let's get you cleaned up so you can find that raccoon!"

Nick began to stand, but then the female raccoon launched herself into his arms. "Thank you!" she cried as she clung to him with a hug. "Thank you for being his best friend."

The fox hugged her back. "Your welcome," he chuckled. "So go clean up and let's go find that dunderhead before he gets himself in anymore trouble."

"You mean his not at the hotel?" she asked.

"I doubt it, but I do know where he goes when he really needs to think," the fox answered.

* * *

Jake sat in the very back corner pew inside the old church. It wasn't a grand building like the cathedral several blocks away, which had soaring marble towers and grand stained glass windows. No, this church was simple with wooden walls and worn stained carpet. This was a working mammal's church that cared more for the community around it then any fancy statues of saints. The church's alter was a simple table with a faded piece of linen covering the top. Two stone statues, one of the Mighty Lion and the other of the Meek Lamb adorned the table along with two brass candlesticks. There was nothing grand about this place but to the raccoon, it had a sense of peace and hope.

"There you are my friend," a voice spoke from the narthex. "What storm are you seeking shelter from tonight?"

Jake looked over at the priest in his simple black worn robe and white collar, he recalled the stormy night they first met. It was after he had stolen some illegal blood diamonds and feared that he had lost his best friend because he had returned to burglary after promising Nick he never would. The priest had greeted him that night with the old river boatmammal's saying _"Any port in a storm, my son."_

The otter sat down next to him on the pew. "What ails you tonight my son?" the priest asked as he put a calloused paw on the raccoon's hunched back.

"How did you know I was here?" the raccoon asked, still looking down at the floor. "I tried not to make any noise."

"The poor box was stuffed to overflowing again," the otter answered with a shrug. "So I knew it was you."

"I lost the woman I loved tonight," Jake sniffled. "Too many secrets, I was ashamed to tell her everything about my life."

"Ashamed?" the priest sighed. "Were you ashamed of what you did or did you fear she would not forgive you?"

"Both!" Jake replied as he wiped his eyes with his paws. "I've done some bad things in my life."

"That's what forgiveness is about," the otter replied with a kind smile. "Forgiveness and redemption."

"Some things cannot be forgiven," the raccoon said bitterly. "I killed someone and he was a priest just like you."

"Did he deserve to die?' the otter asked.

Jake looked at the priest in astonishment. "No one deserves to die?" he said in disbelief.

"So why did you killed him?" the priest sighed. "Why did you do it if he did not deserve to die?"

"I didn't kill him, but led him to his doom and left him to die," Jake replied. "I'm responsible for his death!"

"Perhaps?" the priest sighed.

"I left him on a platform on an icy pond, where the ice was too thin for him to walk upon. I just wanted to punish him for killing my friends!" Jake cried out in anger. "I would have called the cops to get him, but I had this stone that he wanted more than anything else and so I threw it just out of his reach just to make him suffer. He walked onto the ice to get it and drowned when it broke. I led him to his slaughter, who can anyone forgive me for that?"

"He chose his own fate," the priest replied. "If this is who I think you are talking about, his arrogance and misguided beliefs killed him not you."

"But!" the raccoon started again and then just hung his head in shame.

"If you are seeking forgiveness, then ask for it and if you truly are seeking it…well it will be granted," the priest said as he folded his paws in prayer.

"It can't be that simple?" Jake asked.

"It is my son," the otter chuckled. "It is that simple, ask and you shall receive. It's called redemption."

She found him knelling next to the priest before alter. Quietly she knelt next to him and took his paw.

In the doorway to the chapel, a red fox in a police uniform leaned against the wall and smiled as he watched.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

Jake broke into a mansion to steal some illegal blood diamonds from their sleazy owner in _**Sins of Our Fathers, Chapter 19: A Broken Promise.**_ He had further embarrassed the mansion's owner by dressing as the video game character Sly Cooper. Later that same night, he broke back into the same mansion and returned them to the safe, where the police discovered them after receiving a tip of their whereabouts from Melinda Velt.


	17. An Awkward Run in the Park

**Chapter 17: An Awkward Run in the Park**

 **Jake has a problem during his morning jog and Marie finds out that things at work are not as they seem.**

* * *

They just held hands that evening after they left the old church and he walked her home. The winter chill permeated the evening air as they strolled down towards her apartment and neither raccoon spoke much but just walked, both seemingly lost in their own thoughts. Marie was surprised when he only kissed her at the apartment's door and didn't try to come inside. _We've both had a hard and trying evening,_ she realized as he left. After closing the door, she saw the skeptical look her roommate was giving her.

"What?" she asked.

"So have you finally realized that you're in love with this guy?" the skunk asked.

The raccoon didn't reply, but just nodded.

"Good little miss dreamy eyes," Kathy laughed, "It took you long enough."

"What do you mean?" she asked with her head cocked in the cute canid way, a habit that she had picked up as a kit while playing with all those coyote pups as she grew up on her family's farm.

"Marie you're the happiest when you are around him," the skunk replied with a shrug of her shoulders and a swish of her black and white tail.

The next morning, she was surprised to find Jake in the park and sitting wrapped up in a blanket under the same tree where they first met. He was bundled in a grey sweatshirt and sweat pants. Marie knew that he didn't like jogging that much and only did so periodically, so he must have been waiting for her. His eyes were closed as if in meditation, but his ears flicked giving away that fact that he was faking. _Lamb above, he is a stud!_ she thought. She wanted to jump on him and cover him with kisses, but there were too many other runners on the trail.

"I should call the cops about ya'll loitering in the park," she giggled as she greeted him. "I personally know a cop or two."

His eyes remained closed as he smiled and replied, "Call Judy, she takes some perverse pleasure in arresting me. I think it's some kind of kinky dominatrix thing, but that's Nick's problems and not mine."

"Maybe I should borrow her cuffs one night?" she suggested.

His eyes popped open and he looked up at her in surprise, before grinning. "And here I thought you were a wholesome good little country girl?' he laughed. His eyes swept over her body, the female raccoon was dressed in a pink sweatshirt with her college sorority name in Greek letters on it and a pair of grey sweatpants. She was cute and even as covered up like she was in her baggy clothes, she was sexy.

"Why Mister Runnel, there are things about lil' old me that you have yet to learn," she growled. "Now are you going to join me in a jog?"

"Nope!" he sighed.

"Why not?" she asked.

"I can't stand yet without embarrassing myself," he replied. "It's entirely your entire fault too."

"Well I guess I'll just go and leave ya'll to your thoughts," she dramatically sighed and turned, while flirtatiously swishing her tail.

"You're not helping matters," he growled.

"Bye coon," she giggled as she slowly jogged away. A few moments later, she heard him awkwardly running behind her and turned to see he was trying to nonchalantly hold the blanket to hide the way his sweat pants were bulging. It wasn't working, a she wolf ran past them and the other jogger giggled as she saw it, but then Marie realized that the wolf wasn't just looking at Jake, but sniffing her scent too and she blushed.

"Huff, huff, this isn't really working," he complained as he caught up to her.

"No it doesn't seem to be helping," she replied as she looked down. "Think of water, running water, pure COLD water…very cold water."

A few moments more he finally responded, "Shit! Now I've got to pee!"

She giggled as the continued to run through the park. After a while longer he called out to her, "Hey Marie, are you training for a marathon or something?"

She looked back and he was trailing some as he huffed and puffed after her. "Just a little further Sugar," she replied through her own huffing and puffing. Then she realized that they had missed the loop back toward her apartment.

"Taxi!" he gasped before stopping and leaning over panting.

She stopped and after a few moments of rest, she looked at her watch with a scowl. "I still have to get back to my place to shower and dress," she grumbled. "At this rate I'm going to be too late to catch the subway to work on time, so I need to hurry."

She gave him a peck on his cheek and hurried off leaving him standing confused in the middle of the trail. It took too long for her to get back to the apartment where she took a quick shower and while still with her fur mostly damp, she dressed and yanked on her winter jacket as she ran down the stairs towards the front door. She knew it would be a miracle if she caught the subway train.

"Excuse me miss," a voice called out to her from the street. She looked up and saw a fashionably dressed black jaguar with a scar over his right eye holding open the door to a luxury sedan. "Mister Runnel was concerned that you would be late for work and asked that I drive you there this morning. "

"I can't," she started to protest.

"Of course you can," the driver replied with a smile. "There is coffee and danish for you in the back."

"How did you get here so fast?" she asked as she took his offered paw and climbed into the sedan.

He closed the door and walked around to the driver's side of the vehicle, answering her question as he pulled the car out into the busy morning traffic. "I was supposed to drive Mister Runnel to a meeting this morning," he said. "He asked that I drive you to work instead and he took a taxi."

"He shouldn't have done that!" she sighed. "Say, you drove us to the restaurant for dinner on our first date. Your name is Mister Manchas, right?"

She could see him smile at her in the rearview mirror. "Please call me Renato," he replied. "It may not be my place miss, but I have driven Mister Runnel around for a while and I have never known him to be happier then when he talks about you."

She blushed as she heard that and reached over to help herself to a cup of coffee from the silver vacuum flask and smiled when she sipped it with relish. It tasted much better than the brand she and Kathy purchased. "Really great coffee," she called to Renato.

"Thank you," he chuckled. "I'm a tad obsessive when it comes to coffee and fine wine."

"Does Jake like this blend?" she asked.

"I do not believe he has a preference," the Jaguar sadly sighed. "I've seen him drink what I would scarcely call coffee from a gasoline station. "

"I would believe that, he's still a street coon dressed in fine clothing," she laughed. "I guess ya'll can't take the city from him anymore then the country out of me."

The driver chuckled and announced, "We are here."

As they pulled up in front of her office, Marie fought the urge to open the door and waited for the jaguar to cross around the sedan and open the door for her. He offered his paw to assist her in exiting the car.

"Thank you Renato," she said to the driver. "It was nice meeting you again."

"My pleasure," he replied as he tipped his chauffeur's cap to her.

"Marie?" a voice called to her from the building's doorway and she looked over and saw the firm's senior partner standing in the doorway.

"Good morning Mister Woodster," she greeted the stocky woodchuck in the grey tweed overcoat.

"You have a driver?" he asked as he held the door open for her.

"Thank you sir," she said. "I don't have a driver, my boyfriend arranged the car for me this morning because I was running late."

"Ah, a boyfriend," the elderly woodchuck sighed. "He must be a nice guy, do I know him?"

"I don't know? she replied. "His name is Jake Runnel."

"You mean you're dating the raccoon that got the medal from the mayor for stopping the feline distemper outbreak?" he asked.

She nodded as they entered the elevator together. She pressed the button for the sixth floor and he pressed the button for the top floor.

"He seems to be an impressive guy," Mr. Woodster observed. "Several of our clients use his firm."

"I think he is very impressive sir," she giggled.

"Oh to be young and in love!" he chuckled as the elevator door opened. "Well, have a good day Marie and please give my greetings to Mister Runnel."

As the door closed, she heard him make a call on his phone, "Sarah, tell me what accounts Marie is handling. I think I want to reassign her to a couple of our more important clients."

She turned and stared back at the now closed doors in surprise. _Am I going to get a promotion just because I'm dating Jake?"_ That thought really bothered her because she had worked really hard to get to where she is now. Sitting at her desk she called over to her friend Elouise in the neighboring cubicle.

"Do ya'll think it's wrong that I might be getting a promotion because the boss just found out I'm dating Jake? she asked.

"Look Marie, that's the nature of the business world," the ewe chuckled. "Sometimes you just need to know the right crowd in order to get ahead. So are you getting a promo?"

"I don't know, but the boss seemed to be impressed I'm dating Jake," she sighed. "It still seems wrong."

"Ah, Marie did you ever consider that you might have got your job here only because you're a raccoon?" Elouise asked. "It's just there are over sixty employees and only six are predators, all Class C level."

"I don't…wait!" she snapped. "Are ya'll saying that I'm a token minority?"

"Just think about it," the ewe continued. "Six predators and only two are accountants, the others are maintenance. Every time we get a new client that is a predator, they have you and Saketha in the room."

Marie grumbled and looked at down at the carpet.

"They may have hired you as a token, but they kept you because of your talent," Elouise continued. "So if they offer you a promotion because of Jake, take it!"

"Well I guess I shouldn't count my chickens until they are in the coop," she sighed.

"Girl, some of the things that come out of that lil' old mouth of yours," the ewe laughed.

"Not as good as something that I want to put between these lil' old legs of mine," she giggled softly to herself as she logged onto the network.

The ewe overheard her friend's muttering, but did not say anything but shook her head as she smiled.


	18. A Town Full of Bigots

**Chapter 18: A Town Full of Bigots**

 **Jake gets rewarded by Marie for doing the right thing. Lemon warning - adult fluff.**

* * *

She giggled at the look that he gave her after she had told him her news. "Oooohhh…a convention for accountants, how exciting!" he snickered as he clinched his paws and pumped them in the air in faux excitement. "What do you do for fun, math puzzles and pin the deduction on the tax forms?"

"Sugar, you've never partied until you've been to an Association of Finance and Accounting Convention," she giggled as she mimicked his look by clutching her own paws in fake excitement. "We have orgies with hookers in the hot tub, smoke nip, drink booze, and of course do math puzzles."

"Sure you do and the next day, you all sit around and try to figure out how you can write the costs off on your taxes," he laughed as he grabbed her clinched paws with his own and pulled her closer.

"I reckon ya'll should come along!" she replied.

"It's out of town, so I don't think my probate officer would be too happy with me," Jake shrugged. "Besides, you're sharing a room with your friend from work."

"Elouise likes you," Marie giggled.

"She's not my type, she's twice my size and a ewe," he laughed. "Plus I met her hubby, all muscles and curled horns."

"I'd bet you could take him Sugar," she laughed as he released her and twirled her around, before wrapping his arms around her as he pressed his body into hers from behind. "You're my big strong coon!"

"I'd bet I'd set a new land speed record for raccoons as I ran away from him!" he chuckled before he nibbled her neck just below her ear.

The train jolted to a stop at the station and he looked up at the herd of bison riding in the car with them before he pulled her back into a corner. "Let's wait until they leave," he suggested.

She watched as the large bovines filed out of the subway car before they followed.

"You got to love that herd mentality," he whispered to her.

They looked at the village before them, it wasn't ancient like her hometown of Warrenton, but it was nice. Penbrook was Just another sheep village in the heart of the Meadowlands, nothing spectator in its architecture. Like so many other towns and villages, it was swallowed into the city's ever going boundaries. The village itself was just a collection of reddish orange brick buildings with tin roofs, but it was located at the head of the walking trail that the two raccoons were planning to take.

"Hey you want a hot drink and something to nibble on before we hit the trail?" Jake asked. They walked through the village and found the only bar around, a small building not far from the station. The bar was full of sheep, goats, and a couple of deer. As they entered the room, heads turned and looked at them, quite a few of the patrons gave scowls of disgust.

"I don't know about this place?" she whispered as she drew herself closer to him.

"It'll be just fine," he cheerily replied as he escorted her to a booth by the window. After taking her coat and hanging it up next to his by the door, he helped her into her chair before he climbed up into his and picked up the menu. Most of what was listed was grass based burgers or pitas. "They have sliced cucumbers and hummus," Jake said. "How does that sound?"

She nodded and looked around at the room and the two of them were obviously the center of attention. A fluffy looking waitress shuffled by the table with an order of what looked like rye and oat salads for the neighboring table. The ewe briefly looked at them as she passed by again, but didn't say anything.

After a few more minutes, she came by again but didn't stop.

"Is she ignoring us?" Marie whispered.

"I think so," Jake replied and then a called out, "Excuse me miss, may we please order?"

The ewe looked at them both before she turned and walked away into the kitchen.

"Well that was rude!" Jake said just a little too loud.

"You just can't get the hint boy," a scarred old ram at the bar called out. "You're kind ain't welcome here." There was a chuckle and murmurs of agreement from others in the room.

"Gee, you don't like us city types?" Jake sarcastically replied.

"No, we don't like you shitting preds!" the ram baaed out. "Just get the hell out of here coon, this is our bar."

There were more chuckles and murmurs of agreement again to his statement.

Marie leaned forward and put her paw on Jake's arm. "Don't Sugar!" she warned. He was tensing up and looked like he was ready to pounce.

"Aw, just be a good trash panda and listen to the little pelt!" a younger ram laughed.

Marie gripped the other raccoon's arm tighter and she could feel that his anger matched hers. "You're still under probation, let's just go," she whispered

Jake looked into her eyes and could see that she was scared, but then he realized it wasn't just for herself. She was scared for him, what he would do and the ramifications it might cause to his life. He reached over and put his other paw on the one that was gripping his arm with and smiled. "Okay, we'll leave," he sighed. "I don't feel like drinking with these inbred wool heads anyways."

He helped her off the oversized chair and escorted her to the door, before adding, "Besides, this town smells like dipshit anyways."

The younger ram snorted as he stood up and looked like he was about to charge the raccoon. Jake turned and faced the ram, shifting his stance with a smirk on his muzzle that would have made Nick proud.

"Sit down Junior!" an elderly bison bellowed from the far corner. "Let him be boy!"

Jake looked at the huge bovine, he was very muscular and wearing an old worn military jacket. On the table was a faded red beret and the raccoon realized the bison was a veteran. He shifted his eyes back to the confused looking ram, who was now also looking at the larger mammal.

"Why? You heard what he just said?" the ram named Junior asked.

"Because you won't win!" the bison sighed. "Look at his stance you idiot, he's trained in Varma kalai. You charge him and he will sweep you're hindhoofs out from under you. To his left he has placed an open bottle of hot sauce which he will splash into your eyes, blinding you. Then he could drive the bottle's end into either your temple or your throat. Either way you'll lose boy!"

"I can take him!" the ram protested.

"No you can't, so sit down now!" the elderly veteran snapped.

Jake moved slowly back towards the door and bowed towards the bison.

"I still don't like your type coon," the veteran muttered. "I think it's time for the two of you to leave town."

Jake grabbed Marie's paw and ran with her towards the station. As they waited for the subway, she hugged him close and gave him a kiss. "I'm proud of you Jake," she finally said.

"Why, I turned tail and ran?" he huffed out. "I let them chase us out of town."

"I'm proud of you Sugar because ya'll did the right thing," she answered as she cupped his cheeks between her paws and looked him in the eyes. "You might have won the fight, but you would have jeopardized your probation. I didn't want you to lose your freedom Jake, I want you to be free and with me."

"That's the best offer I've had all day," he chuckled.

She could tell he was still mad when they arrived at the downtown station, but now only because their big plans had been ruined. Instead they walked through the park and went to a small bistro not far from his hotel. Afterwards, he asked her if she wanted to go to a movie or dancing but she declined reminding him that she had to work in the morning. So he walked her home and when she entered the apartment she realized that Karen wouldn't be home for another half hour. Grabbing Jake's paw she pulled him into the room and shoved him down onto the sofa.

"Marie, what are you doing?" he asked in confusion.

"Rewarding you Sugar for doing the right thing," she replied huskily as she knelt between his knees and unbuckled his pants. He groaned as her paws pulled him free of its confines and she was surprised that he was larger than she thought he would be.

"You don't have too…" he began, but her mouth covered and began sucking on him, so instead he groaned.

They were both surprised when he suddenly grabbed her head and buckled with a cry. Her mouth filled with his warm musky salty seed and she almost choked as she swallowed. Licking him clean, she looked up and almost giggled at the look of wonder he was giving her.

"What's the matter Sugar?" she asked as she licked him again.

"That was…unexpected!" he sighed. "I've not…well you know? I haven't been that fast in a long time."

There were the sounds of keys on the door and he quickly tucked himself back into his pants as she crawled up next to him. Karen looked at the two guilty looking raccoons as she entered the room. "Hey you two, what a day I've had!" she grumbled before looking closer at Marie and then turning towards the bathroom she added, "I'm going to take a shower."

Jake was gone by the time the skunk finished her shower and dried herself off. Marie was humming in the kitchen making while making tea. "Well, what have you two been up to?" Karen asked.

"We just got back from a date," Marie shrugged.

"Well I guess you had a good time," Karen snickered as she turned and walked back into the living room. "But you might want to wipe you chin fur, you've got a little…ah…Jake on it."

The blushing raccoon quickly grabbed a paper towel and wiped her chin.


	19. The Bank Vault

**Chapter 19: The Bank Vault**

 **Once again fate intervenes as the two raccoons get closer, this time the ZPD calls Jake to save the day.**

* * *

She was pressed against him as they literally waltzed their way into the Regency Hotel's lobby after returning from their afternoon date. The two raccoons had a wonderful time together, lunch at a quaint café in Sahara Square and then a concert. Marie knew that the time was right for them to take that final step and make love. She was aching for him almost as if she was in heat and she knew he wanted her too. They stopped and kissed as he released her from his embrace and then grabbing her paw, rushed towards the elevator.

"Mister Runnel your phone is off again and Nick has been trying to reach you!" a well-dressed gazelle called out from behind the desk. "It's important!"

"Not now Richard," Jake yelled back to the hotel's manager as he impatiently awaited the elevator.

"Didn't he say that it's important?" Marie asked. She could see the gazelle rushing towards them.

"Not as important as you," he almost purred as he kissed her again.

"I'm sorry to intrude, but this is a life and death situation," Richard said as he rung his hoofs.

"Then why do they need me?" the male raccoon huffed.

"Look!" the gazelle pointed towards the large television screen in the lobby. A crowd was gathered around watching a report concerning a bank.

"Not one of my clients," Jake shrugged. "Why should I care?"

Marie had stepped closer the television and could hear what the reporter was saying, her ears drooped. "Call Nick, Sugar. Call him right away!" she said to him. "There's a little kit locked in the bank's vault and they can't get her out."

"Why don't they just open the vault?" Jake asked as he stepped closer to her. The reporter's words made him flinch, "accidently locked…malfunctioning timer…company repairmammal having to flying in from out of town…asthmatic girl…," not the kind of things that bode well for the situation.

He watched as the camera panned back to show the bank again. "Oh crap!" he sighed as he turned on his phone and called his best friend. "I saw and have a patrol car pick me up at the hotel…don't let anyone touch the glass in front of that lock!...I've got to get my team there too and some gear from my warehouse."

Jake turned towards Marie and tried to give her a smile. "It looks like I'm going to have to break into a bank vault this afternoon, I'd ask you to come along but this is going to be boring."

"You've got to be kidding? A chance to see you in action sounds fun," she replied.

"Well, you can sit around with the others outside and watch me go into the building, but I'm sorry that you can't watch," he sighed. "It's not that I don't trust you, but the safe company wouldn't be happy if they knew someone besides my team was there when I broke into the vault."

"Forget it Sugar, I'm coming along anyways," she announced. He just smiled and sighed before kissing her.

The patrol car arrived and with sirens blazing took several turns through the business district before finally arriving at a secure warehouse not far from the hotel. A set of steel doors rolled up, allowing the police cruiser to drive into the building where a tailless rat and two large polar bears waited. All around the large room were safes in various state of disassembly and even several full sized bank vaults. Jake hopped out of the police car as the bears began loading gear into the van's trunk.

"Tails, you follow with the guys in the van," Jake called out as he began rummaging through a table full of rolled up schematics and notes. Finally grabbing the one he wanted, he unrolled it out onto the table and grunted as he wiped his paws across his face before groaning, "It just has to be a Haymaker!"

Sullenly he climbed back into the police cruiser with the plans in his paws, not giving Marie the least bit of attention as he concentrated on what he was doing. She knew not to say anything, but wanted to smile when his paw almost absentminded found its way onto her leg. He pulled out a phone and called someone, "It's Runnel…I can't tell you that, but let's just say your lesser model was difficult enough…that's not much of a help, any upgrades for this client?...it's going to take you eight hours to get here and then at least another four hours of drilling…this kit is asthmatic and could hyperventilate…I know! I know!" He hung up and looked out the window, she knew he was worried.

The police car made its way through the crowd and past the reporters, the van followed right behind as they pulled up in front of the bank. Marie peered out of the car's window at all the news reporters in the distance, a huge cape buffalo towered over a familiar uniformed red fox. A pudgy groundhog was standing next to a female squirrel who was leaning against Judy. "You never make it easy bro!" Jake called out to the fox. "For once I want it to be something like a bathroom lock!"

"Can you do it?" the buffalo asked.

"I can, but opening the vault is a noisy business and I'm afraid that it might cause the little squirrel to go into asthmatic shock," Jake replied.

"Her name is Shelly and I have a plan," Nick grinned as he threw his arm over the raccoon's shoulder. "Her favorite singer is Gazelle, so we're trying to get her to call in and talk to the kit over the bank's speakers. I hope the noise won't bother your concentration."

Marie watched as Jake and Nick began walking towards the bank leaving her alone. "Sometimes those two get caught up into something and they forget that there are others in the world," a familiar voice spoke from behind her. She turned and found that Judy was standing there with a smile on her face.

"Do you think he can do it?" Marie asked. "He wasn't happy when he found out what kind of vault it was."

"I'm told by friends who aren't cops, that Jake is one of the best and has already had experience with this brand of vault," the rabbit shrugged. "Not that we ever found out who broke into the Spandshine Corporation's building and took only five thousand out of the sixty thousand dollars that was in that vault. But Spandshine is now one of Jake's clients, so go figure?" The look the rabbit gave her made the raccoon giggle.

They watched as Jake stopped and talked to someone over the phone and then he ran his paws over his face again. After talking to Nick, the raccoon went to the side of the building and began climbing up the bank's wall using a drainpipe. He hopped over onto the bank's roof and disappeared.

"What the hell is he doing?" Bogo grumbled.

The raccoon was gone for about thirty minutes before he came walking out of the bank's front door and got his gear. He was out of view for just over an hour before he finally appeared again carrying the little squirrel in his arms. Her mother ran to him, took her daughter in her arms and hugged her while profusely thanking the raccoon.

"How did you do that so fast?" Bogo asked as he approached the raccoon. "I was told by the safe company it would take at least four hours to drill through?"

Leaning against the bank's door, the raccoon smiled as he replied, "It seems that they have an oversized conduit pipe that actually runs wires into the vault, we pulled the wires and then I sent Jerry into the conduit pipe. Being a mouse he squeezed through the tube and wiggled his way into the vault where he entertained the little girl while I did my thing."

"Still how did you get in that fast?" Bogo asked.

"I have a better drills then the company representative does," the raccoon shrugged.

The bank president William Franks had arrived and was talking to Ratzolli. The rat looked at the raccoon and then the squirrel family before sighing, "We just worked out the price for you to break into the vault, but I guess you don't need to know how much now."

"It's worth every penny," the raccoon smiled up at the well-dressed hippo. "Think of it this way Mister Franks, it will still be cheaper than any lawsuit if the girl had died."

Marie watched as Jake began walking towards her and she wanted to run to him. She hesitated when he was intercepted by the police commissioner and the talkative lama directed the smaller raccoon toward the press.

"Here we go again," Judy laughed. "Nick spent a lot of time coaching Jake on handling the press, I guess will find out if he listened?"

It was quite obvious that Jake was enjoying taking questions from the press and he was following Nick's advice of answering the question with his own question before answering that question. Suddenly, there came a question that no one expected.

A young porcupine in a grubby tee shirt shoved his cheap camera almost into the raccoon's face. "Anonymous sources say that you are involved with organized crime?" the twenty something year old reporter asked.

"I'm not a member of organized crime?" Jake answered with a puzzled look. "I don't know who you have been talking to, but they're wrong."

"They say that some of your clients are involved in illegal activity and your company is protecting them from the police," he continued.

"Look I only do business with legit companies and legit home owners," the raccoon growled. "We do the standard check, but I don't dig around in their affairs."

"But…" the porcupine tried to ask something else before he was drowned out by the other reporters.

After a little while, Jake finally broke free and finally caught up with Marie. "Sorry about that," he sighed. "I'm going to have to go back with the guys and get everything put away. Then Jimmy wants to talk to me about that business with the porcupine and then I've got drinks over at Mister Franks place, he wants to talk about his mansion's security."

"Oh," she sighed, looking disappointed. "I understand."

Jake stepped forward and kissed her. "The evening really turned into a bummer for you, didn't it," he asked.

She smiled as she looked him in his eyes. "Sugar, I have never been so proud of anyone as I am of you tonight," she replied. "You saved that little girl's life and that is more important than if I had a good time. Now you go do what you need to do."

"I love you," he sighed as he kissed her again.

"Love you too Sugar," she replied as he was dragged away by Jimmy Ratzolli.


	20. Drunk & Orderly

**Chapter 20: Drunk & Orderly **

**Jake proves he's a gentalmammal and in love. ( Revised )**

* * *

"Are you listening to me?' she sighed when she saw that the other raccoon's eyes were closed. She and Jake were cuddling on a park bench enjoying the early evening despite the winter cold. She had unbuttoned his black wool peacoat and had snuggled her paws against his chest for warmth. Her cheap olive drab green anorak jacket had seen better days and she was still cold despite his arms being wrapped around her.

"Mad at boss…boyfriend's fault…you think I'm not listening," he quickly summarized the whole forty-five minute one way conversation they just had without opening his eyes, in fact he looked too content.

She pulled her paws out of his jacket and with a huff, jabbed him in the ribs with her elbow, "So what do ya'll think?"

"I think you're mean to me," he snickered. "Who goes and pokes her boyfriend in the side like that with her bony elbows?"

"Please remind me why I love you?" she giggled. "It's not because you're a fantastic conversationalist."

"It's because I'm dashingly handsome and have an outstanding personality," He chuckled. "So, two out of three is not bad."

"Seriously Sugar, I've been offered a promotion, but I'm not sure I should take knowing it's only because I'm dating you?" she huffed.

"Sweet Lips, do you know what percentage of this city are predators?" he asked, still with his eyes closed.

"I am not answering to being called Sweet Lips," she grumbled, "I should have known giving you that blow job was a mistake."

"You didn't answer my question," he said as he looked at her with only one eye open.

"Ten Percent!" she answered. "Just what are you doing coon?" He had closed his eye again and was now sniffing at her neck.

"Trying to remember your scent," he sighed. "You're going to be gone for a week."

"I'll be gone for four days!" she laughed. "Ya'll still haven't told me what you think I should do?"

He pulled her closer to his side and asked, "If you take out Tundratown and all the internationally owned businesses out of the equation, what percentage of the businesses in the city are minority owned?"

"I don't know!" she snapped and tried to sit up, but he pulled her back against his body.

"Try just over three percent," he answered his own question. "That means ninety-seven percent are prey owned. In addition, there are no predators on the city council and none in the city's key departmental management, also all of the police and fire department top brass are prey. Do I need to go on?"

"So what are you telling me?" she replied as he released her and she sat up, he eyes searching his now open eyes. " Should take the promotion?"

"You are much more capable of handling more important accounts then are currently assigned to you," Jake answered as he reached over and caressed her cheek. "You would have already been promoted if you weren't a predator, so yeah I saying take it and show them what you can do."

She leaned over and kissed him deeply, snuggling back into his arms again with a sigh.

"So Sugar Lips, are you ready for dinner?" he chuckled and then winced as she elbowed him again.

"You ruined the moment Sugar," she giggled. "And I'm am not going to answer to Sugar Lips either."

"Just go around and SUCK all the fun out of this relationship!" He dramatically sighed.

"You're BLOWING any future chance of that ever happening again," she laughed.

"Okay, I get the hint," he whispered into her ear. "I'll play nice from now on."

"So what do ya'll want for dinner?" She asked. "I was thinking a nice long chicken sausage or maybe one of those thick burritos full of that yummy filling that just squirts into your mouth."

"Evil!" he snapped with a laugh. "You are just evil!"

"But you love me anyways, don't you Sugar?" she giggled.

He gave her a long and passionate kiss as his answer.

"You ever been to Woody's," he asked after a while.

"Is this a real question or are we back to the sexual innuendos again?" she asked with a grin.

"I said been to Woody's, not popped a woody!" he laughed.

She looked down at his lap and then hers before answering, "I can't pop a woody coon, wrong gender. But ya'll seem to have accomplished that again."

"Your fault!" he shrugged. "Would I get in trouble if I called you Hot Lips?"

She looked around to see if they were alone before reaching over and squeezing his bulge. He responded with a groan. "Why yes Sugar you would!" she giggled.

* * *

Woody's Bar wasn't a very fancy place and was located several blocks away in an older residential area. The raccoon nodded at the beaver behind the bar as they entered. "This is a prey bar coon," the fat bartender in the stained bowling shirt and faded jeans greeted them.

"I know and I pray that I don't get sick every time I eat here," the raccoon scoffed back as he directed Marie to a barstool.

"Jake?" she asked.

"Marie this is Woody, one of the few guys in school that didn't beat me up," Jake said.

"Well it's about time you got a girlfriend," Woody laughed. "Sorry about the greeting, but it's a game that Jake and I play. He is about the only predator that comes here, not that you two coons should even be called preds."

"It's nice to meet you Woody," Marie replied as she shook his paw.

"Can you pull me a dark ale?" Jake asked. "What would you like Marie?"

"I'd like a Zooisland Iced Tea," she replied.

"Thats mighty potent," Woody laughed. "But if I was dating Jake, I'd drink heavily too!"

"Har…har…not funny beaver!" the male raccoon grinned.

"You want a couple reds tonight?" the beaver asked. "I've got some fresh ones in the cooler outside."

"Reds?" Marie asked.

"Red wigglers," Jake replied. "Woody makes one of the best worm burgers in the city.

"It's the seasoning!" the beaver added with a shrug. "So what you say, I'll make you up a couple of burgers and some chips?"

"Sounds good," Jake replied. "But potato and not bark chips please."

"Yeah I know that you coons don't eat bark!" the beaver laughed. "But you don't know what you're missing."

"Yes I do, it's called a stomach ache," Jake replied.

"So Sugar, are you up for a game of pool after we eat?" Marie asked as she looked back towards a couple of pool tables. There were a two older beavers using one of the tables, but the other was empty.

"Sure why not, I haven't trounced anyone on the felt in weeks," he grinned as they ate their burgers.

The two beavers looked them over as they entered the room. "We don't get your types around here much," one of the beavers grumbled.

"What types do you mean?" Jake asked as he picked up a pool stick. He turned to face a rather muscular beaver dressed in a white tee shirt and dark blue coveralls. His friend looked to be in his sixties and had a fairly large potbelly poking out from under his old grey tee shirt.

"I wasn't talking to you Jake," the beaver gave him a sinister looking grin. "I was talking to the lady. I haven't seen you down of River Street sweetheart."

"River Street?" Marie asked in confusion. "I haven't been anywhere near that place. Wait! Do ya'll think I'm a prostitute?"

Jake grimaced.

"I…I just figured you were…you're with Jake…I," the beaver stuttered. "I just mean Meredith and Jake…oh shit!"

The potbellied beaver was almost doubled over with laughter.

"Quincy, she's my girlfriend!" the male raccoon snarled.

"Sorry miss!" Quincy replied. "It's just Jake and I know some of the same…ah, ladies and well?"

"Marie these two logheads are Quincy and Patrick," Jake said. "Patrick's the smart one."

"Nice to meet you dear," the older beaver chuckled, wiping his eyes.

"At least let my buy you a new drink," Quincy offered.

"I don't know if…" Jake started.

"Thank you Quincy," Marie replied. The beaver went to the bar and returned a few minutes later with her drink.

He had racked the balls as she selected a cue. "Ladies first," Jake grinned as he stepped back from the table and gave her a bow.

"Ah, my foolish but gallant knight," she giggled as she lined her shot up and tapped the cue ball down the table, breaking the balls and sending them scattering across the table. Jake winced as one of the balls went into the pocket. "Looks like I'm playing the stripes Sugar. " She then put two more of her balls into the pockets before finally missing.

"Where did you learn to shoot like that?" Quincy asked.

"Back on the farm," she giggled as Jake missed his second shot. "We had a couple of tables in the worker's lodge, I was taught to play by some coyotes."

The male raccoon frowned as she proceeded to clean the table of all her balls and then sink the eight ball. "You owe me a drink Sugar," She giggled.

"That was the fastest game I've ever played," Jake sighed.

Marie was on her third drink and Jake was working on his forth beer, their next game was not quite as fast with a lot more laughing, giggling, and kissing.

"Best get these two a taxi," Quincy called to Woody as he stepped back and watched the raccoons now making out in the corner.

"I think they need a room!" Patrick laughed.

* * *

She awoke in an unfamiliar bed the next morning and groaned from the headache she had. Snuggling further into the pillows, her eyes popped open when she sniffed the distinctive male musk that lingered in the bed. "Oh damn!" she exclaimed as she sat up and looked around in panic when she realized that this had to be Jake's hotel room! She calmed down a bit more when she saw that she still had on her panties and one of Jake's tee shirts. Pulling her underwear down, she looked and sighed in relief that she hadn't had unprotected sex and then looking around at the hotel room, she frowned at the lack of any personal decor in the room. The dresser top had piles of tools and a couple of knickknacks, but there was no indication of the raccoon's true personality.

She unsteadily got off the bed and stumbled to the bathroom, which too had very little in it and scowled as she almost sat down before realizing the toilet lid was up. "What did you do last night?" she muttered as she peed.

After washing her paws, she peeked out of the bedroom door and heard a faint snore from the den's sofa. Wandering further into the room, she saw Jake curled up on the oversized couch wearing only his underwear. _He sure is cute when he sleeps,_ she pondered as she looked him over. She jumped when his phone buzzed and watched as he fumbled for it and answered. "Murrrmph!" he groaned. "What do you want fox?...No drank too much last night…I think I should have breakfast with Marie, she's in my bed…No we did not! She was drunk and I wouldn't take advantage of her like that!...Yeah, I 'll call you later."

He stood and stretched in front of the window, his tail swishing slightly. She wanted to giggle when his paw went down the front of his undershorts as he scratched his balls. Moving towards the sofa, he picked up the throw blanket which had fallen to the floor and then hesitated as if he had heard her. Quietly she snuck back into the bedroom and slipped into his bed, snuggling into the sheets while happily sniffing his scent on the pillows. _He said that he wouldn't have taken advantage of me!"_ she sighed with a smile. She contently listened as he went to the kitchen and started a pot of coffee, then she heard him go into the bathroom and pee in the toilet. He turned on the shower and she was tempted to join him, but knew that wasn't the way either of them wanted their first time to be like. Closing her eyes, she listened until she fell back asleep in her warm, male scented cocoon.

He awoke her with a gentle call and handed her some coffee. "That's a good look for you," he said with a smile.

She gave him a confused look. "What do ya'll mean?"

"You in my bed, it looks good," he chuckled. "I'm going downstairs so you can have some privacy to dress, I'll meet you in the dining room for breakfast."

She sat up and asked, "Did you undress me?"

"Nope, Trisha did," he chuckled. "I wouldn't have trusted myself to do that." He walked out the bedroom and shut the door behind him.

She smiled and sighed as she snugged deeper into his bed for a few more minutes.


	21. What's That On Your Chin Girl?

**Chapter 21: What's That On Your Chin Girl?**

 **Jake tells Mr. Big about Marie and the gets in the way of her packing for the conference.**

 **Adult Lemon warning!**

* * *

The mansion's large private den was both warm and cozy, with brown paneled walls and plush rugs on the wooden floors. Paintings of wilderness scenes adorned the walls and a cheery fire cracked and popped in the oversized fireplace. Outside of the windows, the afternoon sun reflected off the snow and one could see the ice garden beyond.

"So my boy, tell me about this young lady you've been seeing," Mr. Big asked as he sipped on his vodka and tonic. He was dressed in a white dress shirt with a black suit vest and pants. His jacket and tie were tossed on top of a neighboring desk, he was only this casual around very close friends and family.

The raccoon in the blue dress shirt had also removed his suit jacket and tie, which were draped over the back of the slightly oversized armchair he was sitting on. He looked up at the bushy eyebrowed shrew who was sitting on a much similar, but also much smaller dark green linen armchair which itself was sitting atop of the large deep brown mahogany desk. He sighed as he sipped his own drink and then winced at the taller polar bear that was sitting on a much larger matching armchair next to the desk. The bear was chuckling at him and Jake knew he was about to be gently grilled about Marie.

"What's wrong Jake?" Koslav asked with a toothy grin. "Are you embarrassed to bring her by to see us?"

Jake actually blushed before answering, "No sir, but she found out about our friendship by accident."

The shrew sat up and looked him in the eyes. "Accident Jake?" he asked.

"We were almost mugged in the park across the street from the hotel," Jake answered, his eyes met the shrews. "One of the muggers got my wallet and when he saw my name, he panicked and gave it back while profusely apologizing. They called me your pet coon!"

The polar bear at first laughed, but then seeing his friend the shrew's face, he stopped.

"She found out you were with the mob and she got mad at me," the raccoon sighed. "She was concerned that I was a member of the Family, but she was even angrier with me about the fact I didn't tell her earlier. I thought Marie is a bit more naive, like most mammals are about understanding how things really are in this city. It turns out I was wrong."

"Jake, you know you are not my…pet coon?" Mr. Big said with concern in his voice. "You are a dear friend, almost a member of my family."

"Thank you sir and I know that," the raccoon replied as the nodded his head. "But that hasn't been the first time I've heard others call me that name, so I'm used to it by now and it really doesn't bother me. What is more important is that I love Marie and I want her to know everyone in my life, but I don't want to overwhelm her. It's just that I don't want her to be scared of you and everyone else. Also Fru Fru can be a tad overbearing when you first meet her."

This time the shrew chuckled. "Well my boy, I perfectly understand what you mean and please take the time necessary before you bring her to meet us."

"Thank you sir," Jake sighed. "I did not mean to be disrespectful."

The shrew laughed and waved his paw indicating that he felt no disrespect.

"So are you going to tell us about the love of your life," Koslov asked.

The raccoon's face lit up in a smile as he told his friends all about Marie.

* * *

"Well someone finally came home," the skunk snickered when she arrived back to the apartment after finishing her sift to find her roommate was finally home and curled up on the sofa.

The raccoon just looked up at her and yawned.

"Aw come on, I want all the dirty details!" Karen begged. "Was he a good lover?"

"I have no Idea," Marie sighed. "I was drunk and passed out."

"Are you telling me that he rutted you while you were passed out!" the skunk angrily snapped. "What a jerk! Are you going to let him get away with that…that's rape!"

"Only if he…what did you say? Oh, rutted me while I was passed out," the raccoon replied as she stretched and yawned again. "He had me put into his bed and then he slept on the sofa."

The skunk gave her a look of surprise and then walked over and picked up the pillow that Marie was lounging against. She held it up to her nose and sniffed it, before she gave her roommate a puzzled look. "You stole his pillow?" Karen asked the raccoon who had grabbed the pillow back.

"No, I just borrowed one of his pillow cases," she giggled as she snatched it back. "I plan to give it back, after I return from my trip."

"Girl you are hopeless!" the skunk laughed as she threw her paws in the air. "Just out of curiosity, have you told your parents that you two are dating?"

"I told my mother and father that I was dating Jake during my trip home for the Winter Solstice," she replied. "She wanted to know why I didn't bring him with me, so I told her he was working. I couldn't tell her it was because he was still on probation."

"So you steal from your boyfriend and lie to your parents," Karen giggled. "You're turning into a stereotype of what everyone thinks about coons."

"I told you I borrowed the pillow case and I didn't lie to my parents, I just withheld information because he really was kind of working," Marie huffed. "Now I am going to my room and finish packing because Elouise will be her in a couple of hours."

"Where's Jake?" the skunk asked. "I figured he would be here getting as much..ah, you time before you leave."

"He had lunch with his friends in Tundratown, but he promised he'd be here to see me off," Marie replied.

She spent the afternoon packing and wondering where Jake was, but he showed up as promised. She giggled as he entered the apartment and looked around. "Nice sofa," he commented. "Did I tell you I really like that sofa?"

Marie blushed, when she remembered what she did to him when he last sat on the sofa.

The skunk was in the kitchen and rolled her eyes at the raccoon. "Good afternoon Jake," she called out. "I guess I'll go to my room and leave you two alone."

"No need," Marie replied as she snuggled into Jake's arms. "I'm still packing and so we will be in my room."

The two raccoon's kissed, before she grabbed his paw and pulled him into her bedroom and shut the door. "Nice room," he replied as he looked around. The walls were still the usual apartment light grey and the carpet a little worn. There we photos on a bookshelf and he saw that many were of him. Her suitcase was in the center of the bed and there were clothes spread out everywhere. "Are you migrating?" he asked.

She giggled before replying, "No Sugar I just need to make sure I have the right professional clothes for the meetings and the right casual clothes for the evenings.

He walked over to a pile and picked up the item he spied from across the room, holding the pink lacy panties that still had a price tag in his paws. "So what are these for, professional or casual?" he chuckled.

She blushed as she snatched them from his paw. "Those aren't going!" she snapped. "Stop going through a girl's unmentionables."

"Shoot I was hoping you'd model them for me!" he laughed as his paw grabbed her and pulled her against his body as he kissed her. They were both panting when they stopped kissing.

"You should have taken advantage of me this morning," she huskily sighed. "I wouldn't have mind."

"I would have," he replied as he cupped her cheek with his paw and looked into her eyes. "But, it wouldn't have been as special as I wanted it to be."

"Coon, you're going to be the death of me yet," she sighed. She could feel that he had hardened and was pressed against her. Her paw cupped his bulge, "We don't have time to do what we both want to do, but we do have time for a little fun."

He groaned as she unbuckled his pants and pulled them and his underwear down as she shoved him onto her bed. She kissed the object of her intentions before she covered it with her mouth and began licking and sucking. He smelled of a male's deep musk and she felt his paw on top of her head as he panted. He lasted much longer this time and her jaws began to slightly ach before he finally moaned, just a little too loud, and shook as he ejaculated. She almost choked as she swallowed and grimaced when she realized that some had dribbled down her cheek and onto the bed sheet.

"That was fantastic!" he sighed as he pulled her up for a kiss, but he's attempt was interrupted when her phone buzzed. She looked at it and groaned, "It's my parents for our weekly muzzeltime call."

"Do you want me to meet them?" Jake asked.

She looked down at him as he stood there with his pants still down and shook her head. "Not like that! Sugar" she giggled. "Your other tail is still poking out. I'll talk to them in the den, they don't need to see a male raccoon in my bedroom."

Marie…" he started to say as she stepped out of the bedroom and closed the door. He winced because he didn't catch her in time to warn her about what was on her chin.

She answered the phone and the image of her parents popped up, "Hey guys, how's everyone on the farm?"

"Just peachy, well make that applely" her father joked since they owned an apple orchard. Marie laughed, it was her father's favorite joke and she had heard it hundreds of times before. "How's life in the big city for my favorite daughter?"

"Packing for my trip," Marie said as she sat down. Karen started to giggle from the kitchen when she looked over at the raccoon.

"Marie what's on your chin?" her mother suddenly asked.

The younger raccoon panicked, "What do you mean?"

"You've got something white dribbled on your chin," her mother pointed out. "Are you feeling okay?"

"Here!" Karen said from behind her and handed her a wet napkin. "Wipe your face because you've got grits on your chin. Hello Mrs. Millbrooks, your daughter eats like a pig…well if you know what I mean."

"Grits?" the older raccoon skeptically replied. "Marie, where is that new boyfriend of yours?"

"He said that he's coming over this afternoon before I leave," Marie replied trying not to blush because she had some of Jake's whitish spunk on her grey chin fur. Jake peeked out of the bedroom and Marie turned so that the phone was facing the wall behind the sofa as she watched the male raccoon quietly sneak through the kitchen to the front door. "I'm expecting him anytime."

Jake grinned as he silently opened the door and pushed the doorbell. "I'll get it!" the skunk called out. "Why look who it is? Jake's here Marie!"

"Oh, Jake you're here just in time!" Marie pipped up as she waved Jake over to the sofa where she was sitting. Jake came and sat right next to her. "Mom and dad, this is Jake!"

They spent the next fifteen minutes while her mother grilled Jake about himself and his intentions towards her daughter. Then she had to marvel when Jake turned the tables on her parents and got into a lengthy conversation with her father about, of all things, apples.

Finally the doorbell buzzed again, "My goodness, its Elouise and I still have to pack! I've got to go guys, love you both." She quickly hung up and collapsed on Jake's shoulder.

"Did you enjoy your grits?" Jake chuckled. Karen had answered the door and when the male raccoon said that, she burst out laughing as Marie blushed.

"Did I miss something?" the ewe asked.


	22. MeEwe

**Chapter 22: #MeEwe**

 **Marie faces more than just discrimination because she is classified as a predator, but also that she is a female in a male dominated society. She also finds out something cute about Jake.**

 _ **"We may be evolved, but down deep we're still animals."**_ **Mr. Big**

* * *

The ewe laughed because they hadn't even left the city limits and Marie was already on the phone with Jake. "Sweetheart, we're only going to be there until Wednesday!" Elouise laughed. "He never called you this much before."

"Our relationship has gone up a few notches in the last few weeks," the raccoon replied with a sigh.

"About time!" Elouise snorted. "You've only been dating for almost eight months."

"Has it been that long?" Marie asked. "Wow, I guess I didn't realize that!"

"So are you going to explain what you mean by up a few notches?" the ewe snickered as she pulled the minivan out onto the freeway. "Does that mean you two have done the dirty deed?"

"No!" Marie answered as her ears were laid back in embarrassment. "We are just waiting for the right time."

"Well that time is coming up soon!" Elouise replied. "It was about this time last year that you went into heat, I hope you brought your pills."

"Yes!" the female raccoon huffed. "I feel like I'm already on the edge of it too."

"Having an attractive male around will cause that," the ewe cautioned.

"I know! Gods I know!" the raccoon snapped as she looked sullenly out of the van's window at the winter scene. The bleak brown and grey landscape didn't do much to improve her attitude. All she could think of was his scent, that heady musky male scent… _Stop that!_ She thought to herself. _You're going to cause yourself to go into heat!_

"There are bottles of water in the cooler on the backseat," the ewe spoke, causing the raccoon to jump slightly as her voice jarred her out of her thoughts. "It would be nice for us gals if they would do this conference during the summer. I've always suspected that they do this around mating season so they can take advantage of us to get laid."

"That's sexist and wrong!" Marie sighed. "Besides I'm the only raccoon attending."

"Marie, that makes you exotic and even more desirable to some of these sleaze bags," Elouise replied. "A few years ago there was a sand cat who went into heat and had forgot her pills, she got drunk and spent the weekend being passed around from one guy to the other. Her career was ruined, they nicknamed her Double Trouble. Because she…well you know, did it in both ends at once."

"That's not going to happen to me!" Marie growled. "I've got my Jake waiting for me."

"You're damn right it's got going to happen!" Elouise added. "Because even though I'm not a ram, I can still take down any lowlife who tries.'

They changed the subject to Elouise's son's latest bouts and the to the typical office gossip. Before arriving at the beach resort, the old Victorian era building loomed over the empty windswept beach.

"Only a bunch of accountants would have a convention at a seaside resort in the dead of winter, the ewe complained as they unloaded their luggage while a cold wind baffled them. "On the other side of the strait is Sahara Square with all that heat! Sandy Cove has plenty of resorts, why can't we go there? Oh well, it may be cold and miserable outside, but it's warm and cozy inside."

Looking up at the imposing aged structure with its many turrets and the huge wrap around porch, Marie grinned before adding, "It looks like something from a slasher movie. The old creepy hotel looking over a bleak unforgiving sea, I'll bet the place has ghosts."

"It's much more hospitable looking in the summer with the gardens in bloom and the sun shining," the ewe laughed.

They checked in at the front desk and took their luggage to their room. The room was filled with antiques and had two twin sized feather stuffed beds for large sized mammals which were larger the raccoon's double bed in her apartment. A window looked out over the cold surf crashing onto the greyish tan wind swept sand two stories below. After unpacking their clothes, Elouise said that they need to check in at the Association's hospitality desk to get their dinner seating assignments for the evening.

As she entered the room, several males turned their heads and looked her over. There was whispering as the males stared at her with what could only be called the closest to a predatory grin that prey animals could make. "Marie Millbrooks," she announced to the ground hog who was sitting behind the desk.

"Welcome to the conference Miss Millbrooks!" he said with a smile as he handed her a name tag. "You're assigned to table seven for dinner." She gave him a frown when she noticed on the chart that she was supposed to be at table five with Elouise, but her name had been crossed out and reassigned to the other table full of guys only.

"Miss Millbrooks will be at my table this weekend Phillip," a heavy accented voice said from behind her. "I'm sure that you can make the necessary arrangements."

The groundhog threw an aggravated look at the middle aged white furred arctic hare in the black three piece suit. He appeared ready to object until he saw the rabbit's companion, a tall polar bear in a similar black suit.

"I'll make the arrangements Mr. Rabitwoski, Phillip meekly replied.

The hare smiled and nodded before turning to the female raccoon. "It's a pleasure to meet you Miss Millbrooks," he said to Marie. "My name is Lavrentiy Rabitwoski, but please call me Larry. Welcome to the conference."

She shook his paw and it was apparent that she was confused as she tilted her head in that peculiar canine way, a habit she picked up growing up around the seasonal coyote farm workers. "Thank you, but should I know you two?" she asked.

"You're as pretty as Jake says you are," the grinning polar bear chucked as he offered his massive paw to her. "My names Kevin, I'm a friend of Jake's."

"Are ya'll both accountants?" the raccoon asked.

"I am," the hare answered. "I handle Mr. Runnel's accounts and Kevin is my associate."

"You're his associate?" Marie asked. "What does that mean?"

"I drive the limo, carry the luggage, keep undesirables away from my friend's girlfriend, and whatever is necessary" the bear rattled off as he shrugged. The look he then gave the group of males at the door sent them scurrying away.

"Did Jake send ya'll to keep any eye on me?" the raccoon huffed at the bear. "I can take care of myself."

"Whoa there little lady!" the big bear said has he raised his paws. "He has no idea I'm here."

Elouise stepped in behind her. "This will make my life easier," she laughed. "I won't have to worry about some prick slipping you a mickey or something. They had their eyes on you earlier."

She introduced Elouise to Kevin, the ewe already knew Larry from previous conferences. That evening as they were dressing for the dinner, the ewe pointed out something that Marie should have realized. "I know Jake is a friend of Mr. Big's, Tundratown's richest businessmammal, but to send a bodyguard to watch over you is something unique?"

"Mr. Big and Jake are close friends," she answered. "He saved Mr. Big's life and in return, Mr. Big assisted him in starting his business. I think Jake sees Mr. Big as a mentor, almost a father figure."

"Well the bear sent those deviants running," the ewe laughed. "I think that slimy little shit Diego, you know the mara with the funny accent, peed himself."

"The way males treat us females, I'm getting tired of it," the raccoon sighed. "It's like we're second class citizens, sex objects…whatever happened to female equality?"

"All talk and no delivery," the ewe sighed. "I've seen it all my life, males are the alpha. Just how many females are really in charge besides the mayor?"

"She seems to have a firm grasp on the city government, but she doesn't seem to care for us predator's much," Marie shrugged.

"She has never spoken against predator equality," Elouise replied.

"It's that she never advocates it either," the raccoon replied. "It just gets tabled and booted down the city's agenda. They say that some of her big supporters have a history of being speciesist."

"I never heard that?" the ewe replied. "Rumors maybe, but who really knows? One minute you're the city's darling and the next someone is tearing into you online, who can trust anything you hear nowadays, even in the press? Any time you hear someone say anonymous sources in the city government say, that just means that someone is making something up. Oh well, enough about politics, at least Jake doesn't seem to treat you like that."

"Well Mr. Runnel is going to learn that I'm not some helpless lil' old damsel in distress," Marie growled as she reached for her phone. "I resent having someone checking on me!"

"Slow down girl," the ewe cautioned her. "Remember that Kevin said that Jake didn't have any idea that he was here. Besides I find Mr. Rabitwoski pretty charming, especially with that northern accent. So let's just have fun tonight."

"No more politics!" the raccoon laughed as she finished dressing.

Their dinner was pleasant enough, but she was intrigued that Kevin was not present. The food was mediocre at best consisting of a bland pasta dish with roasted vegetables as an appetizer. The main dish was a salad made from fresh hay and oats that was totally inedible for her, but Elouise seemed to enjoy hers immensely. Of course there was no offering of fish or poultry for the pawful of omnivores and carnivores present, not that she would show bad manners by eating meat in front of her herbivore companions.

As the keynote speaker droned on and on about some technical changes that had been proposed for next year's taxes, Marie looked around the room. There we just five attendees who were legally classified as predators and she also noted that there were only eight female accountants in the room. _It's a prey male dominated world,_ she sighed to herself. _I wonder what that makes me as a female predator, a third class citizen?_ She felt Elouise kick her under the table and looked back at her with surprise.

"Mr. Rabitwoski was asking if you would like to join us for a drink after the dinner is over?" the ewe asked.

"Sorry sir," she replied to the rabbit. "If you don't mind, I think I might get a snack because the food wasn't really that filling."

"Of course Marie," the rabbit chuckled. "The dinner menu was rather limited in its offerings. There is an excellent menu at the pub downstairs which will have something more suitable for your tastes."

After the dinner ended, she parted ways with Mr. Rabitwoski and Elouise as she took the stairs down to the pub. As she entered the room she smiled when she saw Kevin sitting at one of the tables enjoying a very large tankard of ale and reading a book. He stood and smiled at her, waving for her to join him at the oversized table.

"I missed you at the dinner tonight," she greeted the large polar bear who was now dressed more casually in a black sport shirt and khaki slacks.

"Ah, I wouldn't have been caught dead in that place!" he laughed, his voice was deep and pleasant. "Besides, what did they serve you for dinner?"

"A salad with all kinds of grass and some fruit," she replied. "I ate the fruit, but the remainder wasn't something I could eat without getting sick."

"If I had known, I would have brought you a filet of halibut," he laughed. "I would have loved to see those grass munchers faces if they saw you eating some real food."

"Now be nice," she giggled. "Some of my friends munch grass."

"So do some of mine," he replied with a grin. "I just hate it that some of mammals get their noses out of joint when they see someone eat meat, even a cricket. That's why I like Tundratown, folks are not as prejudice on that side of the wall."

The waiter stopped by the table and the seal struggled with the oversized tankard of ale for the bear. She sighed as Kevin reached down and plucked it from her grasp. "Sharleen, I told you I could have got it from the bar," the bear chuckled.

"This isn't a self-serve bar Kevin," she scoffed. "I've got to earn my keep too."

"You're a sweetheart," the bear laughed.

"Speaking of sweethearts, so what can I get you tonight besides a drink?" the seal asked Marie. "I take it you were at the dinner tonight, so you'll want some real food."

"A glass of that ale would be wonderful," the raccoon replied. "But in a much smaller tankard."

"Thank you, I don't think my back could handle two of those in a row," Sharleen laughed. "The special tonight is a smoke salmon salad with fruit and it comes with or without the greens. We also have an excellent clam chowder in a spicy tomato sauce with carrots and potatoes, it's nice and warm."

"I've seen enough salad tonight," the raccoon sighed. "A bowl of the chowder sounds divine."

"One bowl is on its way!" the seal announced as she waddled to the kitchen.

As she ate, they spoke about Jake and she laughed at some of stories Kevin told her.

"…so Ju Ju wasn't happy until she found a tiara and a princess party dress that fit Jake, everyone had to dress for her tea party," the bear laughed. "So next thing we know, there's a male raccoon in an oversized pink frilly dress and a purple cardboard crown holding a tiny teacup sitting next to a very happy shrew kit."

"She didn't make you wear a dress?" Marie giggled.

"Nope I was her knight, so we found a bucket for me to perch atop my head." Kevin replied with a grin.

"You should have taken pictures," Marie sighed. "I would love to have seen them."

"He loves you," Kevin suddenly said. "He also respects and trusts you. I was only joking about keeping an eye on you for him."

"I know," she replied with a smile. "It's good to know he has friends like you in his life."

The bear smiled back as he pulled out his phone and located a photo of a certain raccoon in an oversized pink princess dress.

* * *

 **Author's Note: It is not my intentions to belittle the # Me Too movement, but I feel that this male dominated "Alpha" mindset also survives in my version of Zootopia. In a previous story that I wrote called _Sins of Our Fathers_ , one of the main characters is a spotted hyena and his traditional society is female dominated, putting him into a personal conflict between how he is treated at home and how he is treated at work. **


	23. Scent of a Female

**Chapter 23: Scent of a Lover**

 **You can find Jake's version of this day's events in** _ **Zootopia: A Raccoon's Redemption, Chapter 12: Memories Past Laid to Rest.**_

 **Adult Lemon Warning**

* * *

After Marie's delightful time with Jake's friend Kevin, the huge bear escorted her back to the late night reception, where she joined Elouise. Then the unexpected happened when a late night arrival appeared, a new accountant who was already drunk before he entered the room. He was a pudgy tanuki, in a blue sports jacket and white polo shirt and the sight of the similar looking female raccoon was a challenge that he could not resist. Slicking back the black fur around his eyes, he grabbed up a drink from the bar and made a beeline straight towards her.

"Ah, such a pretty one shouldn't drink alone on a night like this," he slurred out in a very heavy Amirese accent. "I am so far from home and so lonely, would you care to show this humble one some company? One who is as beautiful as you should be with someone this cold night…yes?"

"No!" Marie tried not to giggle at his very poor pickup line.

"Look buddy, she has a boyfriend!" Elouise snapped. "So take that _I'm here so let's screw_ attitude elsewhere!"

Marie looked at her coworker with amusement and grabbed the fumbling tanuki's arm before he fell backwards in surprise. Gently she led him to a seat where he promptly slumped down and passed out.

"Well that was fun!" she snickered as the ewe joined her. "I think I might head up to the room now before lover boy wakes up."

"He's going to have a hell of a hangover in the morning," the ewe grunted.

The raccoon's phone buzzed and she dug it out of her purse and answered with a big grin. "Hey Jake, missed me, Sugar?"

"You know it girl, we haven't spoken since this morning and your Sugar has had a rough day," Jake answered.

"Did everything go okay with Sonya and her family?" Marie asked with a concerned voice.

She smiled and sat down in a chair as he told her about his meeting with his old friend and her family. She chuckled as he described that the red panda was so pregnant that she was almost as round as she was tall. Sonya and Jake were close friends in college and her grandfather was a mentor to Jake. The raccoon was also in love with the red panda, but she didn't have the same feelings. After Jake's father was killed, and during all the stress he went through afterwards, Jake abandoned their friendship. It was an act which hung heavy on his mind until today. It took Marie's prodding and Nick's support, before the raccoon finally gathered up the courage to go and see her again.

"Well the first day of the conference went fine, at lot about new software programs and changes to tax laws. This evening got a little interesting when a middle-aged tanuki from Lesser Amir got drunk and kept hitting on me during cocktails. I thought Elouise was going to kick put him out of the window," she told him and giggled when she thought she heard him give a low growl.

"I'm sure you could have put him in his place," Jake replied, but his voice hinted of jealousy.

"Oh and by the way, your friend Kevin is also here," she added.

"He must be with Larry," Jake replied. "Usually Maurice goes, he likes to surf fishing in the winter on that side of the bay." She heard as his phone beeped with an incoming call.

"I was glad that Kevin came, we had dinner last night and he showed me some rather unusual pictures of a certain raccoon having tea with Queen Ju Ju," she coyly said. "It was really sweet…"

She didn't finish before Jake cut in by saying, "Baby, I've got to go because for some reason Chief Bogo wants to talk to me and is reading Nick the riot act over the phone."

"Okay Sugar, but call me back!" She giggled.

"You know I will, even if it's the only phone call I get from jail," he teased. Then he softly added, "I love you, bye."

She looked down at the phone and sighed. "Hey Marie, did you hear that they got some missing kits up in the Green Mountains?" Elouise said as she walked over to her from the bar. "You're Jake's been all over the news, I seems that the mayor and the police commissioner are saying he's being sent to led a team of cops to help with the search."

"Jake didn't say anything about that?" Marie said as she followed the ewe over to the bar and watched snippets from an earlier press conference that was being shown on the television. "I don't get it? Jake is a city boy and doesn't know anything about the mountains. He's also on probation and can't leave the city."

"He seems to be big news tonight! They're talking about his being instrumental in unmasking the feline distemper plot and then his saving a toddler accidentally locked in a bank vault," Elouise said. "They even had the clip on the air of him taking down that rhino with a shovel. He sure looked small when compared to that brute."

Marie looked worried as she watched the news reports, they ran the clip again of the press conference inside city hall and of the police commissioner talking about the missing kits. Then the news channel's portly weatherman came on talking about how the mountains were expecting heavy snows and dropping temperatures in the area, the boar was stressing that there was a limited time frame in order to save the kits.

She jumped with a start when her phone rang again and answered. "You won't believe this honey, but I've been arrested by Judy again!" the male raccoon told her with a chuckle.

She didn't laugh back, but asked, "We were watching the news and are you really going to the Green Mountains to search for two lost kits?"

"Yeah about that!" the raccoon grumbled. "It seems that the mayor and the police commissioner decided I was the one led the team. It would have been nice if they had asked me first before they announced it on the air."

"You're not going to do it are you?" she asked. "Do you know anything about search and rescue?"

"Not a thing and I'm a city coon who has never been outside of the city either, but Nick and Judy are coming along," Jake replied.

"Still why did you agree?" she asked.

"Bogo said that the mayor has agreed to pardon me and release me from my probation," the male raccoon answered. "I'm supposed to be more of a figurehead, talk to the press and that kind of stuff."

"I don't know Sugar, what if this goes wrong and the search fails?" Marie asked as she nervously picked at her claws.

"They're scouts Marie and one's a fox pup," he sighed. "Nick is determined to find him."

"Why's that?" Marie asked "What does their being scouts have to do anything with Nick?"

"That's a question I'd prefer you ask Nick," he sighed. "Let's just say that Nick has some bad childhood memories."

Marie pondered that statement for a few moments, but didn't push the raccoon any further on the subject. She knew it would not be fair to test Jake's loyalty to the fox. "So when are you going up there?" she asked instead.

"Early in the morning," he replied. "We need to get there before the sun raises and the teams can renew their search. Wolford is up their already along with another member of the K9 Unit, he's a good guy and should be in charge."

"Why isn't he?" she asked. "I mean he's trained in searching, right."

"Yeah, well they won't put a wolf in charge because the press would have a field day, you know how society treats them," he replied. "They think that they are all noses and no brains."

"So instead they're sending a raccoon?" she giggled. "A raccoon, a fox, and a bunny?"

"Hey, raccoons are sneaky and foxes are sly. As for bunnies, they are…cute!" Jake laughed. "Don't ask me why Bogo thinks this is a good idea?"

There was silence for a few moments before he continued. "So what cha wearing?" he asked.

"Why Mister Runnel, I'm lying on the bed stark naked!" she replied. "We should be using Muzzletime!"

Elouise rolled her eyes at the full clothed female raccoon who was sitting in the bar. "You're evil coon!" she chuckled to the grinning raccoon.

Marie winked at her work associate. "What do you mean that you're going to call me right back?" the raccoon continued to tease Jake. "Nope it's too late for that, besides ya'll need to get some sleep."

Elouise could hear the male raccoon pleading over the phone. Then Marie added, "Why don't I text ya'll a picture instead, something to keep you warm tonight? I sure will, love you too Sugar."

She waved for Elouise to join her by the bar and gave her phone to the ewe to take of selfie of the two of them making funny faces, which she sent to the male raccoon. She laughed as a text came back.

"What did he say?" the ewe asked.

"He said that wasn't funny and it isn't what he wanted," she giggled. Another text came back and she opened the picture. "Oh my!" she gasped.

"What did he send you?" Elouise asked.

The now heavy blushing raccoon held the camera to her chest before replying, "Ah, he sent me a photograph of what he was expecting and let's just say the photo is very revealing!"

"Oh, it's one of those photos!" the ewe laughed.

Marie sat down in a chair and looked at the selfie that Jake had taken in the bathroom mirror and he didn't have a stitch of clothes on. She felt a tingling between her thighs and sighed. _Jake you're going to make me go into heat yet!_ she thought to herself. _I think I need to find my pills!"_ She realized that she had seen Jake bare chested before and she had seen him below his belt, well more than just seen, but she had never seen him totally stark naked before.

Another text came across and she opened the message. _Sweet dreams my love!_ Was all he wrote.

"Hey Marie, why don't you head up to bed before you buddy wakes up," Elouise suddenly said pointing at the drunk who was stirring. "I'm staying here in the bar to talk shop with the guys and I'll be up in an hour or so."

She left the bar, hurried upstairs to their room and turned on her phone again before lying on her bed. Her eyes devoured the picture of the naked male raccoon on her phone as she hiked her skirt up in front and her paw slipped under her panties. Her digit found her sweet spot between her thighs and she began to pant and she rubbed. With her eyes never leaving the photo, she groaned and then moaned dropping the phone as she thrust forward with a gasp as she shook. "Oh Jake," she sighed afterwards as she panted in satisfaction. "Coon you're going to be the death of me yet Sugar!"

She stripped and took a shower before changing into her pajamas. Taking a moment to spray some perfume into the air, in hopes of covering up her scent before she climbed into her bed and listened to the surf crashing below.

True to her word, the ewe didn't return until an hour later and found her roommate asleep. Elouise shook her head as she smelled the faint slight feminine raccoon scent even with the overwhelming perfume still lingering in the air. "Young love," she softly chuckled as she went into the bathroom to change into her pajamas.


	24. Search & Raccoon

**Chapter 24: Search & Raccoon **

**As Jake tries to organize a search & rescue mission for two lost kits in the Green Mountains, all Marie hears is criticism from the press and her fellow accountants. Does a city born and bred raccoon have any idea what needs to be done in the mountainous woods north of the city?  
**

* * *

Marie worried about Jake all night and early the next morning as she sought out a another cup of coffee in the dining room where most of the participants were eating their breakfast before the conference started, she couldn't help but overhear some comments being made about someone on the news. "Who's the idiot who sent him to represent the city,"a woodchuck in a white polo shirt and khaki slacks laughed as he watched the television. She couldn't make out his name badge, but she remembered he was one of the jerks who was eyeing her when she first arrived.

"I'm mister coon in charge around here!" A goofy looking beaver with dorky black framed glasses snickered through his buckteeth. "He didn't even show up for the press conference he scheduled!"

"What a loser!" another accountant chimed in.

Marie came to a complete stop when she realized that it was Jake that they were talking about. She walked over to the television and saw her raccoon was being shown on camera in a field just sitting on a log surrounded by coyotes.

"Lack of cooperation…poor coordination of resources…time is running out, the reporter droned on as they filmed the milling chaos on the field. The camera zoomed in on Judy in her police winter coat talking to what appeared to be a rather young scared white tailed deer buck in a sheriff's jacket.

She watched the news, ignoring Elouise when her friend called her to go into their conference. To her it looked like Jake was completely out of his league and the talking heads were having a field day. Her heart sank for him and she felt sick with worry. Suddenly the camera followed a group of the coyotes as they broke from the larger pack and ran towards a couple of wolves wearing police K-9 Unit jackets. There was a short discussion before the teams finally began to efficiently deploy up the mountain sides.

The camera zoomed toward the raccoon again, he was dressed in his usual black wool peacoat and had his black and white checkered scarf pulled around his neck. Jake did look rather handsome in that outfit, but he definitely looked like he should be on the city streets and not conducting a search in the wooded mountains. He was now under a makeshift tarp command center with the rabbit and deer, a studious looking coyote in a winter coat came up to him and they were talking.

Marie sighed as she poured herself another cup of coffee and sat back down to watch.

"That poor coon looks like he doesn't know what he's doing does he?" an elderly armadillo said as he sat down at the table next to her. "But looks can be deceiving can't they dear."

"What do you mean?" she asked him.

The armadillo smiled and pulled on his sweater sleeves. "You see he went down there to get those coyotes to help out," he replied. "Those wolves had a plan, but they needed some hunters with good noses that can follow scents and not more prey mammals. I watched yesterday when all those reporters showed up like vultures, sticking their microphones in anyone's face that would yap or whine. All the locals would do was walk around complaining and talking trash about that poor lost tod and his friend, the woodchuck. Some of those yokels even went as far as to say that the coyotes ate them. Then they fumbled around, stomping here and there without any direction, the two K-9 cops who had shown up tried their best to organize them, but they were just ignored. "

"So what did Jake do this morning that was different?" she asked.

"Your Jake figured out what anyone who knows woodland mammals should already understand," the armadillo chuckled. "You don't need more paws roaming around, you need more trackers and those coyotes are some of the best in the world. So he went and talked them into joining the search, even though it was quite clear that the locals were against them doing so. Then he went over to the lost woodchuck kit's father, the richest mammal in the county and won him over to his idea. Once that was done, no one was going to get in the way."

The reporter continued to drone on about something and then camera suddenly zoomed on the rabbit in the control center, who was shouting for the medical teams. Cheers could be heard from the field and the reporter excitedly exclaimed, "They found them! They found them! Sheriff Boltswell and his team are now on their way back down with both kits!"

She sat up on the edge of the chair as the camera team rushed onto the field and filmed the buck coming down the mountain trail with the young fox pup riding on his shoulders and behind them the studious looking coyote was tenderly cradling the woodchuck kit. Both of the children had traditional coyote wool ponchos pulled over them and were beaming.

"See I told you that raccoon was smart," the armadillo sighed as he stood up and hobbled toward the front door.

Kevin joined her as they watched the celebrations. "So Jake found them?" he asked.

"Well, he helped," Marie replied with a happy smile on her face.

A few of the accountants slipped into the room and watched the television as Kevin changed the channel to ZNN.

"Well I'll be damned," the woodchuck proclaimed. "I guess he knew what he was doing after all."

"Just luck," the beaver added. "That moron didn't know what he was doing, what a loser!"

"That loser is my boyfriend!" Marie snapped as she stood up and faced the larger pudgy mammal. "He runs a multi-million dollar company and was instrumental in stopping the feline distemper outbreak! He also saved a sick toddler locked in a bank vault…do I need to go on! Just what the hell have you done with your life besides going to work and crunching number all day, then going home to play your childish video games?"

"Whoa girl!" Kevin put a large paw between her and the beaver. She realized that she was on the verge of snarling at him. "Look, Jake's on the television again."

Her ears drooped and she looked back over at the screen where the reporter, a rabbit named Jack Zipper, was interviewing the father of the woodchuck. It was obvious that successful businessmammal had high regards for Jake.

"That's Willie Press, the cider millionaire," someone stated from behind her. "He's one tough bastard when it comes to getting his way, that coon must be really good to earn his respect."

The news switched over to the weather again and about the impending snow storm that was due to hit the mountains any minute.

About an hour later they broadcasted the news conference where a makeshift podium was set up in front of a ZPD patrol cruiser that had been parked facing the Sheriff Department's SUV in order to create a background. Finally the sheriff showed up along with the county commissioner and a spokesmammal for the coyote pack. Also present was a ZPD wolf and finally Jake showed up. After the sheriff read a prepared statement about the rescue and thanked the ZPD, all the citizen searchers, and the coyotes. He gave an update on the children's medical condition and that both were fine except the woodchuck had a broken arm.

Finally the raccoon stepped up to the microphones and Jake spoke briefly, praising the sheriff for his leadership. But then he continued. "When I got here I heard some folks saying some rather rude things about the little tod and the coyotes," he said as he looked stone-faced towards the cameras. "Mammals are quick to judge others based on their looks and their species. I grew up in a rough part of the city, where I was told because I was a raccoon I could never be trusted, that I was a natural thief. I tried to show the world that they were wrong and went to the university to earn an engineering degree. When my father unexpectedly died and I could not find a job to support myself, I became a thief because that was what society expected of me. I've paid for that life and moved on, thanks to a lot of friends.

The raccoon cleared his throat and added, "Some comments were made and accusations were leveled that because one of the boys was a so called pred and the other was a prey. There were comments made that the fox had killed his friend and ran off, because that was the natural way of the predator. However, I know a thing or two about foxes, because my best friend is a fox. I know that it takes time for foxes to make friends, but when they do they are very loyal and willing to stand by you to the end. I knew that Billy would never leave his friend Reggie, no matter what, and when I entered the cavern my belief was confirmed. Go to my company's furbook page and you'll see why.

A photo appeared on the screen and it showed the tod curled around his smaller friend, who was snugged under the fox's russet and black tipped tail trying to stay warm. It spoke volumes about loyalty and friendship. Someone in the crowd watching awed.

Jake continued, "Over two hundred years ago a battle took place on this mountain, a war against a group of mammals only because some felt that they were a lesser species and that they were in the way of progress. Today, many still look down upon the coyotes because they seem different. What I learned here was that they aren't different from everyone else, they have their hopes and dreams and they love their family and neighbors. When we called for their help, they stepped forward without hesitation. If it hadn't been for their help, today would have ended in tragedy. So, I guess what I'm saying is that we all need stop judging others because of the way they look, but by their actions. Thank you."

As Jake turned away, the reporters started yelling questions. But the sheriff cut the rest of the news conference short because the snow had started falling more heavily and he wanted to make sure everyone got out before the blizzard closed the roads. The news returned back to ZNN's main studio where Peter Moosebridge began the financial reports.

"Well that was a bit preachy," the beaver grumbled.


	25. Dinner with Mr Big

**Chapter 25: Dinner with Mr. Big**

 **Marie is surprised when she is whisked away to have dinner with the mobster and Jake's friend Mister Big and she finally meets Fru Fru.**

 **For what Jake has been up to, read Chapter 13: Lost Mountain, Chapter 14: Odd Family Tradition, _& _Chapter 15: Enter the Thief of Zootopia: A Raccoon's Redemption. **

* * *

"Excuse me Marie," Larry said in his heavy northern accent as the arctic hare stepped between the angry raccoon and the obnoxious beaver. "I need to speak to you about doing me a favor."

"Hey Kevin, I have your coffee here," Elouise said as she approached the polar bear with a massive coffee mug in her hoofs. She seemed to slip and with a gasp, the warm liquid spilled from the cup and doused the beaver with the black steaming liquid. "Oh my…I slipped!"

"Dammit!" the drenched self-righteous accountant cursed as he shook himself. "You did that on purpose!"

"Of course I didn't," Elouise exclaimed with her hoofs in the air. "I tripped, sorry!" There were snickers from the other conference members as their comrade stormed away towards the elevator.

"Thanks," Marie whispered as the ewe helped the polar bear start to blot up the spilled beverage.

"As I was saying before our friend's unfortunate accident, I need your assistance," Larry continued. "I had a conversation a few minutes ago with Mister Woodster about a couple a of my client's accounts that I have not been able to provide the level of service that they require."

"You spoke with my boss?" Marie asked in surprise.

"Yes, of course, Harold and I belong to the same club," the hare smoothly answered. "Anyways, I have these accounts that I am prepared to transfer to your firm with the understanding that you will handle them. But first, my client insists that you have dinner with him tonight."

"Tonight?" Marie asked. "I'm supposed to be here at the conference tonight, I can just take off."

The hare took her paw and smiled. "Of course you can my dear," he added. "Mister Woodseter is rather insistent that you have dinner with my client, Mister Big. These are a couple significant accounts."

Her ears dropped as she looked at the white hare in the blue blazer. "Why do I have the feeling that I've been set up?" she sighed.

"Because you have been sweetheart," Kevin chuckled. "Now we will be leaving around four this afternoon, dress for dinner, that black dress in the picture Jake showed me would be fine. It'll be late by the time you finish, so pack your stuff, you're not coming back."

* * *

After lunch that afternoon, she began to pack her things. "Sorry to leave you to drive back alone," the raccoon said to her temporary roommate.

"Actually, Larry is riding back with me tomorrow," Elouise replied. "You seem a little nervous about this whole thing?"

I'll be okay, it's just Mister Big is Jake's friend and I wish he was with me tonight," Marie shrugged. She didn't want to tell her coworker that she was having dinner with one of the city's most powerful crime lords.

She refused to sit in the backseat of the black sedan, but sat in the passenger's seat so she could talk to Kevin. She was aware the affable white bear in the black suit was probably a trained and merciless killer, but she felt safe when she was with him. They talked and laughed as they drove the many miles from the hotel to Tundratown. She always marveled at the great wall that separated the snowy cold part of the city that was nicknamed T-Town from the rest of the city. After passing through a long tunnel, the roads became slick and icy, but the big bear handled the large vehicle as easily as he did on the other side of the wall. As they drove along, he began to point out many of the towns famous and infamous snow covered sites.

"This side of the wall is much more pred friendly," Kevin added with a smile. "As you can see from the businesses, we have a lot more restaurants that serve both preds and prey. You and Jake being coons can eat just about anywhere, but we big bears prefer some fish or poultry with our meals."

"Was that just a fish market?" she marveled as they drove by and then she exclaimed. "Blubber Chef? Does that place serve whale meat?"

"Of course not!" Kevin laughed. "The chef is a sea lion and is making fun of his girth, we don't eat other mammals!"

He pulled the black sedan down an icy road and stopped at a huge iron gate that was dripping with icicles. Behind the heavily guarded walls stood a large imposing grey stone snow covered mansion and as the gates opened, from out of the snowfall two large armed polar bears in black suits and ties appeared. Kevin greeted them as they warily checked out the vehicle before allowing it to enter the compound.

"A rather large place for a shrew," Marie observed as they drove towards the mansion's front door.

Kevin just smiled before he stopped the sedan by the entryway and watched as a snow leopard in a footmammal's uniform rushed down to open the door. "I'll see that your bag is taken to Jake's room," he said. "Have tonight fun and don't worry, everyone here loves Jake and they'll love you too."

"Jake has a room here?" she asked.

"Of course he does, he's like one of the family," Kevin replied with a grin.

Her ears were flat in nervous anticipation and she clutched her handbag as she stepped out of the vehicle. "Oh my gawd, you're as beautiful as Jakie said you were!" a small voice called out from the stairwell and she looked down the see a grinning fashionably dressed female shrew with poofy black hair looking up at her.

"Thank you," the raccoon replied. "And you must be Fru Fru, Jake has told me so much about you. That is a lovely dress you are wearing and such a pretty hairdo."

"Thank you!" the shrew grinned as she excitedly waved her forward with her diamond studded paws. "Come on inside, it is so good to finally meet you!"

She followed the shrew into the large entry hallway, which had huge paneled walls that led up to a set of stout oak stairs. There were huge painting of shrews on the wall, obviously famous members of the Big family from centuries past. Several black suited polar bears watched as she bent over to greet the small shrew. Then a pretty arctic fox in a black skirted suit joined them and put her paws down for Fru Fru to step onto and picked her up so she was the same height as Marie. "Thank you Sarah," the shrew smiled. "Much better, now we can talk without you having to stoop over. So our Jakie is in the mountains, freezing his tail off while we are nice and warm here inside the mansion. I am sending him a package of warm cloths tomorrow, he really didn't pack for the weather and it looks like he will still be there tomorrow night."

"He didn't tell me that he was stuck up there, but with the snow falling like it is in the mountains I'm not surprised," Marie replied as she walked alongside the shrew and the fox. They entered a large den and she was shocked at the size of the smiling polar bear who was standing inside, like the other bears he was wearing a black suit but with a turtleneck shirt and several gold chains around his neck.

"There she is!" a voice called out from the desk. She looked to see an older shrew in a black suit peering at her through his black bushy eyebrows. "Come in my dear, I'm Bartholomew Big and this is my associate Koslov."

Unsure what to do, Marie curtsied. "It's a pleasure to meet you sir," she replied. But then the shrew threw his paws open and she stepped forward to let him kiss her on her cheeks. She stepped back and shook Koslov's large paw.

"Well my dear, please sit down," Mister Big waved towards one of the chairs. "Let's get to know each other better over an aperitif, would you care for a glass of apple brandy?"

They spoke for about an hour and then over dinner, where she met Mrs. Bigg who looked very much like an older version of her daughter. Fru Fru's husband Antonio was conspicuously absent, he had sent a message that he was detained at the office and Koslov gave an involuntary low growl when he heard the news. Outside of that minor incident, Marie found that the shrew and his family were very charming. By the end of dinner she was relaxed and actually was having a good time. "So Marie, I have hatched a plot to surprise Jake and I need your help," Fru Fru giggled.

"What kind of plot," the raccoon suspiciously asked as they entered the bedroom that the maid had called Jake's room.

"I promised him that a special package was going to be delivered to the campground tomorrow," the grinning shrew added as the arctic fox sat her down on the oversized bed and then left.

"So what is in this package?" Marie asked as she sat down near her.

"You!" Fru Fru giggled. "Jake is alone up there in those cold mountains and he could use some warm company, if you know what I mean?"

Marie looked down at her in surprise. "I can't do that…I don't…I…" she began to object.

"Yes you can, if you want too!" Fru Fru laughed. "Have you two made love yet?"

"That's not…well, no…but…" the flustered raccoon began. Then she remembered the revealing photo that the male raccoon had sent her and began to reconsider her objections. "But I didn't bring any winter clothing suitable for camping."

"Is that a yes?" the shrew clutched her paws together and leaned forward with a devious smile. When after the raccoon nodded, she laughed, "Time to go shoooopppping!"

"But all the stores are now closed!" Marie sighed.

"Not when you own the biggest winter clothing boutique in Tundratown!" Fru Fru called out as she clapped her paws together in apparent happiness.

She had the hardest time to keep Fru Fru quite when Jake finally called and she surprisingly lied as she talked about the conference that she wasn't attending and listened to him tell her all about the day's events. When she hung up, she looked over at the shrew. "I can't belive it just did that!" she sighed. "I never have lied to Jake before."

"You didn't lie, you just misinformed him," the shrew replied as she waved her paw in a dismissive manner.

"You sound like a lawyer," Marie dryly observed to the grinning shrew as she picked her up. "So let's go shopping."

Half an hour later the raccoon found herself in store that was empty except for the shrew and her bodyguards Kevin and another larger, older bear named Raymond. "No that is definitely the ski suit that you need!" Fru Fru clapped as Marie tried on her third outfit of the evening. She admired herself in the mirror and the medium blue winter coat and lighter blue snow pants did look good on her, then she looked at the tag and winced at the price.

"I'm not sure, I mean I doubt if I'll need such an expensive outfit in the future," she replied.

"Girlfriend, that's the retail price!" Fru Fru laughed. "I own this store, there's no charge. It'll be worth the look on Jake's face when he sees you in it."

Both of them had been into the Champagne a little too much and she could help but blurt out, "I don't want him to see me in anything!" Then realizing what she said, she blushed at the shrew's laughter. She could hear Kevin's deep laughter from near the front door and Raymond just looked over at them with a smile.

"Honey, that's the general idea," Fru Fru clapped her paws in glee. "But you can't freeze to death before you get that far! Beside you'll need that outfit plenty of times when you come with Jake to visit us."

"Good point!" Marie hiccuped. "So I'll skip the display of flannel pajamas, since I won't need them!"


	26. A Ringtailed Package

**Chapter 26: A Ringtailed Package**

 **Fru Fru promised Jake a special package and Marie arrives as promised. Things finally click with the two lovers.**

 **For Jake's side of the story, read Chapter 16: The Ring Tailed Package in** _ **Zootopia: A Raccoon's Redemption.**_

 **Adult Lemon Warning!**

* * *

She held on for dear life as the large tractor rumpled through the snow. "We're almost there!" the large polar bear yelled back to her as they swayed and bumped. Crawling forward, she slipped into the oversized seat and adjusted the seat belt to fit her much smaller body. "There's the mountain in front of us, it sure does look pretty in the snow."

"Yeah, I can't believe Jake is up here in all this snow," she giggled. "It sure does look larger than it did on television." The mountain's massive stone dome was very distinct when compared to the mostly wooded mountains surrounding it. As they emerged at the bottom of a large field mostly filled with tents and vehicles and she was amazed at how many coyotes had gathered in one place, there was well over several hundred.

As they reached the hilltop Kevin brought the tractor to a stop. "Now you hide until I get you," he laughed. "You are supposed to be a surprise." She giggled as she slipped into the back of the tractor and out of sight as Kevin climbed out of the passenger's seat. The sight of the huge white polar bear had caused a great stir among the coyotes, since many of them had never seen his likes before.

"Hey Jake, Fru Fru sends her love," Kevin said as reached into the tractor and pulled out the four bags which he tossed onto the snow. "Oh and here's your package." He added as her opened the back door and lifted her into the air and gently onto the ground.

"Hi Sugar, did you miss me?" Marie giggled as Jake bounded through the deep snow and hugged her. "I guess you did." Then Jake gave her a deep passionate kiss.

"Get a room!" someone yelled as the crowd of canines excitedly joined them by the tractor. Marie giggled when she was greeted by several of the coyotes who regularly or seasonally worked at the farm. Many of the coyote families had worked seasonal jobs on the farm caring for the orchards of apple trees, walnut trees, blueberries, raspberries, and of course the raccoon's favorite food, persimmons. Old Joe and his wife Mary greeted her with a hug. They had arrived the day before from harvesting the last of the winter persimmon crop.

After a short visit, Kevin said goodbye and the tractor rumbled back down the road. It turned out that Mr. Big owned the company that was contracted by the county to plow the roads. As it reached the bottom of the hill, Kevin stuck his head out the window and yelled, "Can someone tell Nick his police car is in a ditch?"

Surround by a crowd of happy coyotes, Jake led Marie towards one of the many campfires and introduced her to Mr. Walker and Annie. "Is she your mate?" asked the elderly blind coyote.

Jake stammered "No…she's my girlfriend…we..we." Marie looked at the flustered raccoon and giggled.

"Why not?" continued the coyote after sipping his coffee. "She smells healthy enough and I like her voice." Both Jake and Marie's ears blushed. Annie giggled as she watched.

"Ah, elder I was wondering if there is a place where Marie might stay tonight?" Jake asked.

"Oh, I had a tent already set up for both of you to share," the coyote replied. "Dear lady, did you know your boyfriend spent the night flipping and flopping in his sleep while muttering your name. It was quite annoying. Finally my grandson threw another pillow at him, but he just hugged it and then started to purr. I have heard that raccoon kits purr, but who knew a grown adult could too?"

Jake began to protest, but Marie kissed him on the cheek. "So you really did miss me Sugar?" she giggled. "As for the tent, we'll figure something out. After all, you're too much of a gentlemammal to try to take advantage of me. But I think you should be more worried about me then I am of you. "As she walked towards the coffee pot, she coyly swished her tail. Everyone looked at Jake who was just standing there watching her with his muzzle slightly open.

Marie watched the male raccoon as he went over and placed her bag into the small tent, before joining Nick and Judy as they walked towards the bathhouse. "So have you known Mr. Jake long?" a little coyote named Annie asked her as she poured the raccoon a mug of coffee. Annie was smaller than most of the other coyotes and had a reddish tint to her fur indicating that she had a lot of red fox in her blood.

"About eight months," Marie replied. She spent the next hour talking to the charming young coyote and the blind elder.

Returning to camp in his new snow pants and winter coat, Jake tossed the bag into the tent and joined Marie by the fire. Dinner was almost ready and most of the coyotes had gravitated back to the bonfire. They had changed to traditional tartan or striped ponchos and decorative necklaces or medicine bags. Most of the canids, including the males, wore a traditional long earring with feathers and beads.

Annie approached Jake and Marie and handed them both two ponchos, she explained that the lighter fleece was worn underneath the heavier tartan pattern wool poncho. She handed Jake a necklace with two black feathers surrounding a single red stone, telling him that the feathers honored his finding the lost kits and the red stone represented fire, in honor of his being a child of Azeban. She gave Marie a necklace with decorative beads and a single red stone.

They offered ponchos to Nick and Judy, and although Nick wanted to wear one, Judy sternly reminded him that they were on duty and had to wear their uniform jackets.

Dinner was a delicious salmon stew with root vegetables. A lentil, carrot, and turnip green stew was available for Judy and other coyotes like Annie, who swore off meat. One of the male coyotes handed Jake and Marie beers, he also offered one to Nick, who had to decline since he was technically still on duty. The activity around the bonfire was more subdued, with many watching the sun as it began to set in the west.

Marie turned to their blind friend and asked, "What exactly is this ceremony tonight? I'm afraid all I know is rumors that it is a night when coyotes call forth and speak to the dead."

"It's not that dramatic my dear," the elder coyote smiled. "It is the night we honor and remember those who have passed on to the other side. We howl our grief to the Moon, so she can tell the departed we still remember and miss them. Afterwards, we gather back in our tents and tell stories about old friends and family. It is also a night for lovers to love, because love pleases our ancestors."

Silently the meal was cleaned up and the bonfire banked for the evening, so it gave only a faint glow. As the full moon rose over the mountain, Annie stepped into the middle of the empty upper field. She raised her paws and began to sing a chant to the moon. Everyone stood and silently watched the little coyote with the pale yellow eyes and as her song ended, one by one or in family groups they came near her. Together they raised their muzzles to the moon and began to howl. Watching from outside of the circle were a rabbit, a fox, and two raccoons. Suddenly an older coyote walked over to Nick and placed his paws on the fox's shoulders and said, "Come little brother and join us, do you and your mate not have anyone who's passed to remember?" Looking at Jake and Marie he continued, "Come children of Azeban and join us too."

Nick stepped into the circle, still holding his wife close to his side and thought about his father who had died when he was just a toddler. With tears in his eyes, he lifted his muzzle and joined the chorus. Jake and Marie joined them in the circle. Jake remembered both his parents, but since raccoons never howl he just looked at the moon with teary eyes. After a long while, the coyotes began to silently return to their tents until Annie was left alone again on the field. She lifted her paws once more and sang another chant of gratitude to the moon, before she too returned her family's lodge tent.

Jake stayed by the smoldering fire, giving time for Marie to change and get settled in before he entered the tent. She looked around the tent, it was what the coyotes called a pup tent and it was just large enough for two canids but more the enough room for the two smaller raccoons. She smiled when she noticed there were several blankets and only one large wolf sized sleeping bag. _This will be interesting,_ she mused as she pulled out her pajamas and then she briefly hesitated before she put them back into the bag. Stripping naked, she climbed into the sleeping bag and although it smelled slightly like a male coyote, it was warm and more importantly there was more than enough room for what she had in mind.

Finally he ducked into the tent and crawled to her. "Sorry about the sleeping arrangements," he whispered. "I'll just curl up in the blankets if that's okay with you? He slipped off his ponchos and laid them aside.

She didn't answer, but instead reached out of the bag and grabbed his shirt with her paw. She pulled him closer as she leaned forward and passionately kissed him. She felt his paws as he embraced her and drew back in surprise when he felt her naked fur. "Are you sure?" he asked.

"Sugar, I've never been so sure in my life," she whispered in his ear as she started to unbutton his shirt and pulled it off as he hastily removed his pants and underwear. She sighed as he slipped into the bag and she could feel him naked against her, his cold fur against her warm body. She snugged her cheeks against his bare chest and her paws reached down and encompassed his raccoonhood. She giggled as she heard him breathe in sharply with a gasp. "You like that Sugar?"

"Not complaining, but your paws are cold," he whispered as his nose dug into the fur of her neck, he licked and nibbled. She noticed that he had warmed up really fast and was no longer cold.

"You want me to let go?" she giggled. Instead of answering, he pushed her back and climbed on top of her, his paws roaming down her body and making her moan. She was expecting him to mount her, but instead he began licking and nibbling her chest as he disappeared under the sleeping bag. She could feel him kissing down her body lower and lower, finally past her waist and then his tongue found its way between her legs. None of her previous lovers had ever done what he was doing to her, his tongue found its goal and she moaned as he continued his efforts until finally she shook, gasped, buckled and groaned.

She felt him moving back up her body, still kissing, nibbling and biting until his head popped out of the bag and he kissed her. She knew his paw was reaching into his bag to get a condom and almost giggled when he gave a little curse as he struggled to get it out of the package and then rolled it on. He finally mounted her, slow at first, using her body like if it was a fine instrument by taking his time to ensure that she was satisfied before he finished.

Afterwards as they lay entwined together, panting and snuggling after their endeavors. "Thank you," he whispered.

"That was marvelous," she whispered back as she snuggled against him. The cold had long been banished from their little bit of heaven. Her paws lovingly ran through his fur as she kissed him.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it," he chuckled. "That was just round one."

They went several more rounds that night before finally slipping into an exhausted and satisfied sleep in each other's arms.

Later that night, Judy's sensitive hearing heard Marie giggling and her whisper, "he really does purr."


	27. Snow Stuck

**Chapter 27: Snow Stuck**

 **So love has come to our two raccoons and now all they just have to get off that snowy mountain and back to the big city. This is the last chapter of this story and thank you for reading it. Our lovers story continues in my original story _Zootopia: A Raccoon's Redemption_ _._**

 **I have also begun a new series about a surfing fox and the first story, which is titled _Zootopia: Stone Kole in Hang Ten!_ is almost complete. Stone Kole is Zooptopia's three-time small board champion surfer and all the fennec fox wants to do is surf the waves. He soon finds out that life is very complicated, when he seeks his father who never knew he was born, comforts his best friend who has been rejected by his family because of his sexuality, and deals with the fact that he is in love with a cat. (Rated T) **

**The second story of this series will be _Zootopia: Stone Kole in Dark Paradise_** **in which Zootopia's favorite small board surfer and his pals travel to an exotic tropical island, but paradise hides a dark secret. Can his father Finnick, along with Nick & Judy save the little fennec fox from an evil voodoo priest before a hurricane hits the island? Also, why is the ghost of a long dead infamous pirate named Jack haunting him? (Rated T)**

* * *

Marie awoke in the predawn darkness, she was comfortable but hot in the confines of the sleeping bag. Although the wolf sized bag was oversized for the two small mammals, she was afforded very little wiggle room with both of them inside of it. It wasn't that she was complaining about the male raccoon's naked body pressed against hers, but she and Jake were natural sprawlers. Raccoons were infamous for their habit of tossing and turning in their sleep, there was even an old joke that it was amazing that their species didn't go extinct because they kept falling out of trees.

So there she lay in the middle of the bitterly cold winter darkness, inside a flimsy thin canvas tent and of all things she was hot. Her eyes widened as she felt him move slightly and she wanted to giggle as she felt something poking her back that was not his tail. She fought the urge to reach around with her paw and stroke it just to see what would happen. After battling with herself, she shifted enough to touch it and she was startled when she heard him whisper in her ear, "If you play with mine and I'm going to play with yours.

"Why Sugar, would ya'll take advantage of me like that?" she asked in a quite faux meek voice. "Trapped like this, I can't fight back."

"Hell yes," he grunted as his muzzle dug into her neck's fur.

"What happens if I say no?" she asked.

It was almost like she had poured a bucket of cold water on the randy raccoon! He removed his paws from her body and tried to scoot away as much as the sleeping bag would allow him to do so. "Then no it is," he answered in a confused whisper.

She giggled as she scooted back against him, "I just asked a question Sugar, I didn't say no."

He rose over her and peered down into her eyes, "Marie I lied earlier when I said I'd take advantage of you, I love you too much to really do that. It was just banter."

She smiled and hugged him. "I know, but it's nice to know that after last night you still respect me this morning," she huskily replied, and then she grasped him with her paw again. "So Sugar how's your night vision, ya'll think you can find a condom in the dark?"

"I know exactly where I left the box!" he enthusiastically replied. He struggled to get his arm out of the bag and she heard him rummaging around for the box and then his paw returned clutching it's prize.

"The packet is kind of cold," he snickered. "I hope it doesn't…"

Hush Sugar and kiss me," she sighed. "Then I want you to make love to me really, really slow so I can savor every moment."

They made love in the darkness and she bit down on his shoulder to suppress her moan. If she had hurt him, he didn't seem to care as he grunted and shuddered before slowly withdrawing. Something warm and sticky touched her leg. "Sorry he muttered. "I leaked a little bit as it took it off."

"Better on me than within me Sugar," she giggled as he wiped up his mess with his undershorts.

"I think these have seen better days," he said dryly as he set the wet undershorts aside. "I don't think I should try to send it to my cleaners. I'm sure the stains will wash out, but I would be embarrassed."

"Sugar, have I already domesticated you?" she giggled. "Are you already thinking about your laundry instead of your naked girlfriend?"

"Ouch!" he snickered. "You're right, I've got my priorities all wrong." She giggled as he lustfully reached for her again.

* * *

"Well Carrots, you really got the old Razorback stuck this time," Nick chuckled as he looked at the police cruiser which was sticking nose first into the snowbank. Marie stood back with Jake and watched as the coyotes gathering next to the red fox and the rabbit. Despite her dark blue police winter jacket, dark blue snow pants, gloves and stocking cap Judy still was shaking from the cold.

Marie pulled her scarf tighter around her neck and shuttered even though she was wearing her brand new blue down ski jacket and snow pants, compliments of Fru Fru who had managed to get her an ensemble delivered to the mansion yesterday before she left with Kevin. Instead of wearing one of her blouses, she put on the checkered flannel shirt that Jake had been wearing the night before. He had offered her other clean shirt that was in the duffle bag that Fru Fur had sent to him, but she preferred the one that smelled like her lover.

"Ho little brother!" a coyote called over to Nick. "I think we can winch it out of there with no problems."

"Why do they keep calling Nick that name?" she whispered to Jake.

"The coyotes believe that it was the son of Mohegan, the First Wolf, and the daughter of Tokala, the First Fox, who mated and their son was Apesi, the First Coyote," he explained. "That makes Nick part of their family by tradition, plus there are several coyotes that have fox blood in them."

"Like Annie does," she replied. "I still think it's funny they call you The Thief!"

" _A thief will come, steal the enemy's thunder, and usher in a new era of change for the children of Apesi, the First Coyote."_ Annie quoted the old prophecy as she walked up and took Jake's paw. "So how are Azeban's children today?"

"Azeban is the First Raccoon, right?" Marie asked.

"Yes he is," Annie giggled and nodded. "You're catching on."

"So what or what doe Adageybee or was it Adageyudi mean?" Marie asked, she remembered that name from her dream.

"Adageyudi means Beloved," the young coyfox replied as she looked up at the raccoon with her odd pale yellow eyes. "Where did you hear that name?"

Marie looked over at Jake who had walked away from them and was standing next to Nick watching as the tow truck driver was hooking up the police cruiser. "I had a weird dream, that's all. In my dream there was a tall coyote who called me that name and a raccoon who called Jake his thief. When I heard everyone calling him The Thief, it reminded me of that dream."

"Sometimes the Firsts speak to us in dreams," Annie replied. "That is a good thing, you are blessed."

"What do you mean?" Marie asked.

"That you and Jake are meant to be together," the little coyote answered with a smile.

There were cheers as the police cruiser was hauled back onto the road, but Judy grimaced when she saw the scratches on the paint work. "Priscilla is not going to be happy," she groaned. "Maybe I'll tell her you were driving?"

"Just throw the fox under the bus Fluff," Nick dramatically sighed. "After all that self-appointed Queen of the Motor pool already blames me for everything else."

"She is the Motor Pool Supervisor," Judy laughed.

"Well I guess we need to pack the gear and get back to work," Nick sighed. "Handcuffs on coon."

"Hey wait a minute!" Jake growled. "Can we at least leave them off until we get the city limits?"

Marie came over to them and looked at Jake with concern. "Why is Nick going to handcuff you?" she asked.

"Breaking probation by leaving the city," Judy replied as she joined the fox and the raccoons. "Jake was supposed to receive a pardon, but the paperwork was never filed. We'll get it straightened out at the station,"

"You better," the female raccoon snarled as she grabbed Jake's arm and pulled herself into his embrace.

"You know we're also going to have to arrest you too?" Nick added with a grin. "For aiding and bedding a felon."

"It's aiding and abetting in a felony," Jake groaned. "Besides no one puts cuffs on Marie, unless it's me."

"Jake!" Marie protested as she hip checked the raccoon.

"It's too late for that," Nick snickered. "They already took your tent down."

"If we run from the coppers, we can hide in the woods," Jake suggested to Marie. "I know a cave where we can hide."

"Yeah, so does everyone else," Judy scoffed. "Now we need to load our gear and head back into town."

The fox and raccoon watched as the rabbit climbed into the police cruiser and carefully drove it up onto the field.

"So this is the game plan," Nick said as he threw his arm over the male raccoon's shoulder and escorted him and Marie up the hillside. "First we have to wait until everyone packs up and leaves, that should take at least a several more hours and then we'll drive into town to meet with the Sheriff, he's got to officially release you into our custody. After that I'm afraid you'll have to go back to the station for booking."

"My attorney Manny Moleinger said that there is no bail because I'm considered a fugitive who fled," Jake grumbled. "I going to have to spend tonight in the holding cells and then court in the morning. This really sucks."

"Yeah I know pal," Nick sighed. "I've racked my brains and I can't scam you out of this one, maybe the mayor will get the paperwork done by the time we get back."

"Why do I have the feeling she doesn't like me?" Jake asked. Marie had slipped back under his arm.

As they were helping the coyotes load the last of their tents and other camping gear back into their truck and vans, Marie was approached by one of her father's farm hands, it was Sammy's mother.

"Little one," she said as she approached her and put her paws on Marie's. "We have missed you at the farm."

"I miss everyone and the farm too!" Marie replied as she hugged the portly coyote. "I should come back for the Harvest Moon this year."

"You should my dear," the coyote replied. "I have a gift for you, back when I was down by the creek at the farm I saw this small red rock and was inspired to pick it up and take it back to the lodge. I polished it and for some reason I knew that I needed to make you this." She handed the raccoon a small pouch.

Marie tilted her head with one of those questioning canine looks, a habit she had picked while growing up with the coyotes on the farm, as she opened the pouch and inside of it was a traditional long earring like many of the coyotes wear. The red stone had been polished and a pierced with several stands of beads strung below it in a wave pattern and small blue feathers at the every tips.

"Your species also used to wear these long ago in the Great Northern Woodlands," Sammy's mother said as she watched the raccoon remove her left earring and replace it with the other. "When you wear it, remember us little one."

"Thank you!" Marie cried and she hugged the coyote again. "Thank you for reminding me."

Marie hugged several of the other coyotes she knew from her childhood and quite a few she had just met.

"It looks good on you," Annie commented when she saw the earring. Marie hugged the coyfox and then approached the elder Mr. Walker.

He was sitting on a camp chair near a beaten old pickup truck and sniffed the air, before standing and seeming looking at her with the blind pale yellow eyes. "So Azeban's child, we part ways for now," he said towards her with a smile. "But I have a feeling that we will meet again."

"I hope so sir," she answered as she stepped into his embrace. "I hope so."

"Keep The Thief happy," the older coyote chuckled. "As I am happy for the two of you."

Jake approached the elder and bowed. "You know I can't see you," the coyote laughed. "But you're the Thief and I know our path will cross again many times." He held his paws out and when Jake stepped into his embrace as they hugged.

As the last truck full of coyotes rumbled down the snowy road out of the park, Nick secured the last of their gear into the police cruiser and after everyone got in started down the road to the highway. It was then that Jake got a phone call from Manny. "So the pardon came through?" he asked. "I'm a free mammal…how did you…stonewalled…ZNN picked up on it and confronted the commissioner…it just came over this afternoon…yes thank you!"

"So you got your pardon?" Nick called back.

"Yeah, they got caught on national television and had to come through this morning," Jake beamed.

The police cruiser stopped in the middle of the icy road and Nick looked back at him, it was clear the fox was suppressing a grin. "I guess you'll have to get out of the car now," he dramatically sighed. "This vehicle is only for official police use, no rides for civilians."

"Hey Judy, if I punch him will that get a ride back to the station?" Jake snickered.

"Eeeup!' the rabbit laughed back. "But if you slipped and your paw hit him…well that was just an accident."

"My own wife is consorting with my best friend against me!" the fox laughed. "Are you sure you know what you're doing Marie? He is a bit…shifty!"

"Oh yeah, he can sift me any time he wants to!" she blurted out and then blushed when she realized what she had just said.

"Ah, love!" Nick chuckled as he pulled the cruiser back onto the highway.

"Yeah love!" Jake replied as he bent over and kissed her. "She's my true love."

* * *

 **Jake and Marie's love story continues in** _ **Zootopia: A Raccoon's Redemption**_ **,** **Chapter 17: Raccoon's Enjoy Dessert. Excerpts from that story:**

The raccoon was finishing her second daiquiri by the time the rabbit was starting hers, both females had a buzz going from the alcohol and the drinks had lowered their inhibitions. The bar was noisy with patron's chatter, music, and the sounds of the many various games being played. All around the tables were vintage pinball machines, along with video arcade game machines from the '70's and '80's.

"You let him win," Judy accused the raccoon. "You were winning and then let him win."

"I want him in a good mood tonight. You know how competitive Jake can become," Marie replied with a smile. Her eyes moved from Judy to the slim young raccoon standing next to a fox at an old fashioned pinball machine. "I want this date to be a very long fulfilling one."

The rabbit was fiddling with her drink's straw and said, "That's nice…wait! What did you say?" Her ears blushed slightly.

"It's Saturday night Judy and I have plans to keep Mr. Runnel busy tonight and all of tomorrow," she answered with a giggle. "I've heard the Regency Hotel has really good room service."

"That night at Howler's Mountain, was that your first time with Jake?" Judy asked her.

"Yes, Jake was caught up trying to romance me," the raccoon giggled. "I can't believe he made me wait all those months! He was so unsure about what he was doing, and then it finally dawned on me that he never had really dated before. It was kind of cute the way he fumbled through our first few dates. He even hesitated that night at Howlers Mountain, offered to sleep curled in his poncho and blankets. I wasn't going to go through another night unsatisfied. Thank the Lamb that he had more than one package of condoms, although in the morning we found six canid sized packs left for us in the tent by the coyotes. He also confessed that Fru Fru included a full box of his favorite brand when she sent him a change of clothes, bless her little heart."


End file.
